GenAI report highlights job loss concerns in entertainment

According to a CVL Economics report, 36% of entertainment leaders using GenAI report a reduced need for specific skills for daily tasks and responsibilities among their staff.

Generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) will lead to the loss of more jobs in the film and animation industry than in other sectors.

This is according to a January 2024 report by Consulting firm CVL Economics based on a survey of 300 leaders from six entertainment industries, including C-Suite executives, senior executives, and mid-level managers, between Nov. 17 and Dec. 22, 2023.

The report titled “FUTURE UNSCRIPTED: The Impact of Generative Artificial Intelligence on Entertainment Industry Jobs” states that 75% of survey respondents indicated GenAI tools, software, and/or models had supported the elimination, reduction, or consolidation of jobs in their business division.

GenAI creates diverse content like images, text, and music without explicit programming. It employs machine learning to understand and replicate patterns from existing data.

According to the report, 55% of leaders expect Sound Designers to be most affected in the next three years. Over 40% see Music Editors, Audio Technicians, and Sound Engineers as vulnerable, with around 33% anticipating impacts on Songwriters, Composers, and Studio Engineers.

In July 2023, shortly after ChatGPT’s launch, the Writers Guild of America (WGA) and the Hollywood actors’ union — Screen Actors Guild–American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) declared a strike. The concern was how advancements in AI might affect job roles and security.

Before the strike, numerous companies used writers’ content to train GenAI programs and create digital replicas and characters based on actors’ likenesses. Without robust safeguards, striking workers feared the potential replacement of their roles by GenAI technology.

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Despite the recent favorable contract negotiations with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP), concerns persist among WGA and SAG-AFTRA members about the uncertainty surrounding the impact of GenAI on the film and television industry and other entertainment sectors.

The report states that 47% of the business leaders felt that GenAI would effectively generate 3D assets and realistic sound design for film, television, and video games over the next three years.

Another 44% believed GenAI could generate realistic and convincing foreign language dubbing for film or television dialogue, and 39% believed GenAI would be generating music mixes and masters by 2026, the report stated.

However, with companies like Riot Games, Unity Software, Amazon MGM Studios, Pixar, and Universal Music Group having already announced layoffs within the first few weeks of 2024, CVL Economics said further job cuts are expected in the months ahead.