AI Debate Is ‘Not Our Biggest Issue — I Would Like Residuals’: Writers Strike Takes Spotlight at BANFF

variety.com:

Manori Ravindran Executive Editor of International The debate around the application of artificial intelligence in the creative sector has been a hot-button issue in the writers strike, but not all scribes believe it warrants the airtime it’s so far received.

Speaking on a Variety-moderated writers strike panel at the Banff World Media Festival on Monday, “The Other Black Girl” and “Swarm” writer Kara Brown said AI has been “the stickiest thing and people have been talking about it a lot, when it feels to me like this is not our biggest issue — I would like residuals.” Continued Brown: “There are other things that are more fundamental today in impacting a writer’s ability to do their job.

And AI feels like something that people outside the industry can understand, and people are talking about. It sounds scary, but to me at least, I don’t think it’s close to our biggest issue.” Brown was joined on the panel by Emmy-nominated “This Is Us” writer and co-executive producer Elan Mastai and “Joyride” and “Crazy Rich Asians” writer Adele Lim. “[AI] is giving bitcoin; it’s giving a bunch of tech people,” said Brown to laughs from the audience. “Or Elon Musk saying you’re all going to be driving self-driving cars, and then these cars murdering people constantly.

I think there are a lot of legal fights before this AI thing is happening, because you can’t copyright AI.” Regardless of its real-world feasibility, however, Mastai raised the importance of having “rules” in place for using AI in entertainment. “All I want is guardrails in place,” said the Canadian writer. “I think it’s going to save the studios from themselves to get some common-sense regulation in place.