Generative AI is reshaping the entertainment industry in both exciting and unsettling ways. On one hand, it has enabled digital wonders such as AI-generated visuals of the Pope in a puffer jacket and whimsical images of a wolf-headed goose. On the other hand, it is set to eliminate over 200,000 jobs in the entertainment sector by 2026, according to a recent report.
The rise of AI has sparked fear among those in creative professions, with more than 25,000 writers, actors, and musicians, including figures like Julianne Moore and Kazuo Ishiguro, signing a statement condemning the unlicensed use of their work to train AI models. It’s not just performers that face job loss; visual effects artists, game designers, and film creators are also vulnerable. A VFX executive describes the situation as “like King Canute trying to turn back the waves.”
The AI wave is moving rapidly. In 2024, OpenAI’s text-to-video tool Sora set the industry on alert, prompting film-maker Tyler Perry to cancel an $800 million studio expansion. Similarly, companies like Runway AI are partnering with major studios to streamline content creation, raising concerns about job cuts in traditional sectors. Even Hollywood faces increasing competition from AI tools that can generate complex special effects in a fraction of the time, prompting both excitement and anxiety.
At the Trojan Horse Was a Unicorn (THU) festival in Portugal, digital artists gathered to discuss the growing influence of AI. While some, like games designer João, argue that AI strips art of human experience, others feel threatened by the technology’s encroachment on their livelihoods. A game artist shared how she lost two jobs to AI, with employers opting to use AI for concept art instead of hiring human illustrators.
The gaming industry is already feeling the impact. In 2023, more than 10,000 jobs were cut, and 2024 layoffs are expected to be even higher. Major companies like Activision Blizzard and Riot Games have already laid off thousands of employees. The rising use of AI tools for content creation promises to make productions more efficient but also less reliant on human labor.
Veteran artists like Karla Ortiz are pushing back. Ortiz, who contributed to the visual development of Marvel's Doctor Strange, filed a class action lawsuit against AI companies for allegedly using artists' copyrighted work without consent. Ortiz, who discovered that her own artwork had been incorporated into AI training data, sees this as an invasion of personal identity and rights.
Despite these controversies, some AI advocates argue that the technology can benefit creators. Cristobál Valenzuela, co-founder of Runway AI, believes AI will reduce production costs, allowing for more projects to be made. He envisions a future where AI helps reduce repetitive tasks, creating new opportunities for creators to focus on more complex, creative aspects of their work.
Industry veterans like Andre Luis, CEO of THU, advocate for artists to embrace AI rather than resist it. He sees AI as a tool to accelerate creativity, not replace it. Luis believes that AI could democratize content creation, making it more accessible to indie creators and smaller studios with limited budgets. He predicts that this will shift the balance in the industry, with major studios sourcing more content from independent creators.
Ultimately, AI’s potential to revolutionize the entertainment landscape is undeniable. However, its widespread adoption raises difficult questions about the future of creative jobs. Will AI create a more efficient and diverse industry, or will it lead to the erosion of traditional artistic roles? As the technology continues to evolve, it is clear that the entertainment industry must adapt to this new reality—one that promises both challenges and opportunities.
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