A product manager, an engineer of the softwarea technical manager, a researcher and an expert of machine learning: these are the 5 professional figures that Netflix is looking for in the field of machine learning and artificial intelligence, precisely in the weeks in which Hollywood actors and screenwriters they are on strike against the use of machine learning and artificial intelligence in the world of cinema.
The ads have appeared on Netflix Jobs, the site dedicated precisely to the jobs offered by the streaming giant, and have caused quite a stir. Especially for two reasons.
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A question of money and a question of time
The first reason is economic: while the actors protest that they would not be paid enoughespecially in relation to the enormous takings of the studios and platforms, Netflix offers objectively enormous salaries for doing (apparently) exactly what the actors would not like to be done.
Here’s some context: Moviegoers hear almost exclusively about Hollywood superstars and assume that all actors and actresses lead lives of luxury, comfort, and wealth. This is not quite the case: according to recent statistics, about 70-75% of actors make less than $40,000 a year and only a tiny percentage (less than 5%) is in the Olympus of 200 thousand dollars a year and beyond.
In the face of these figures, it is quite impressive to note the salaries offered by Netflix for the professional figures you are looking for in the field of machine learning: starting from a minimum of 100 thousand dollars a year and reaching around 850-900 thousand.
The other problem is one of opportunity: the temporal coincidence between these job offers and the protest of the actors’ and screenwriters’ unions cannot fail to catch the eye. Although, and this is another thing that needs to be said clearly, scrolling through the descriptions of the jobs offered, it does not seem that the people who will be hired will be engaged in the creation of content. Not for the moment, at least.
What will AI specialists do for Netflix?
From what we understand, the focus for now seems to be on using artificial intelligence and machine learning to better understand people’s tastesbecome even better at recommending content for them to watch and keep them on the platform for as long as possible.
For a couple of the jobs sought, it is already very clear from the qualifications: the Engineering Manager and the Research Scientist will take care of the customer satisfaction and of the so-called inference. That is precisely the understanding of someone’s tastes according to what he does, says, eats, listens to. Or that he watches, in the case of Netflix.
Some doubts (better: some suspicions) may perhaps come from the roles of Product Manager and Software Engineer, both called upon to devote themselves to enhancing what Netflix calls Machine Learning Platform, which is explained online here and in a nutshell it is the basis on which all the profiling algorithms and the Netflix recommender system are based. If the latter seems more of a technical role, because the ideal candidate is asked for 4+ years of experience in programming, software development skills and some previous experience with Python, the former may indeed leave the field open to doubts. The next product manager to be hired by the Los Gatos-based company will in fact also have to deal with integrating AI “in all areas of the business“, therefore presumably also in the production of films and series.
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In short: despite the words of Ted Sarandos, the CEO of Netflix, than in the last communication to the shareholders (video) he somehow said he was in solidarity with those who are protesting (“I don’t think they have taken this decision lightly”, because “going on strike has both an economic and emotional impact on one’s life and that of one’s family”) and hoped that arrive “as soon as possible to an agreement that is just and which allows all the people who work in this industry to take a step towards the future”, the fears aroused by this move are legitimate and understandable.
Ma perhaps they arrive a little late: Netflix already uses artificial intelligence extensively to write scripts and dialogues for some of his video games and (although few know it) already broadcasts a series based and created in part through deepfakes, fakes made with AI. Is called Deep Fake Loveis Spanish and can also be seen in Italy with the title of Fake love. AND a bit like in Joan is Awfulonly that it’s really true.
@capoema