NAB Speakers Debate AI’s Impact On Jobs And Artists: ‘This is The Age of The Generalist’

variety.com:

Carolyn Giardina The Future of Cinema Summit at the NAB Show opened Saturday morning with speakers who agreed that AI can make production faster and cheaper, but it can’t do everything.

Meanwhile, the issue of jobs remained murky. “This is the age of the generalist,” suggested Eric Shamlin, CEO of AI-driven production studio Secret Level and co-chair of the TV Academy’s AI Task Force, during the SMPTE-produced summit. “The other thing we are seeing is it’s putting a spotlight back on the creative vision. … People can now create space operas in their bedroom.

I think we are about to see a massive unlocking of human creativity…To be a creative, previously, was a very limited group. This blows that apart.” Looking ahead to production involving AI tools, Shamlin emphasized his “commitment to how to do this responsibly, not replace artists, and be a voice in how these tools get adopted.” Albert Bozesan, creative director at Munich-based AI production house Storybook Studios, believes it is “a lot cheaper and a lot faster to use AI in our [production] workflows, [though] you have a little less creative control.” As one example, he asserted that AI for dialogue is not a viable option.

Actors, he insisted, are needed for their performances. He admitted that “the unpleasant part” of this subject is talking with artists.