We have written in who knows how many articles that artificial intelligence, and more specifically generative artificial intelligence, fascinates and frightens.
Day after day he is showing his enormous potential (virtuous and perverse) but also his… young age, amidst more or less sensational mistakes and gaffes.
As far as images are concerned, we have seen what software like Midjourney is capable of. That they showed us Pope Francis with a trendy quilt, Donald Trump arrested and so on.
Then there is the use of the deepfake, which in an advertisement has, for example, brought Bruce Willis back to the screen (with related controversies). But we became aware of its distorted use when the faces of some porn video actresses were replaced with those of Emma Watson and Scarlett Johansson.
In short, more generally, one wonders what the impact of artificial intelligence will be on the world of cinema and TV series.
Netflix hires AI experts
In this period of enthusiasm and fears, Netflix’s decision to hire personnel specialized in AI could not fail to raise discussions.
More precisely, as reported by the specialized site Engadget, the company has published an announcement for a machine learning platform product manager, an expert in machine learning. That is machine learning, a branch of artificial intelligence that deals with creating systems capable of learning and improving performance based on the data they use.
Salaries for this profile range from $300,000 to $900,000 a year. While an actor (we’ll come back to the question) receives 200 a day.
The website The Intercept reports that Netflix is looking for another AI-related figure. It is a technical director in the games sector, where generative artificial intelligence composes narratives and dialogues. This role brings in up to $650,000 annually.
There are five AI positions in total being sought by Netflix. In addition to the two already mentioned, the company is betting on a software engineer, a researcher and an expert in machine learning.
Where will we end up?
Netflix’s search for AI-related figures has raised some questions. Also because the company is already broadcasting Deep Fake Love, a Spanish series of meetings where the faces of the competitors are scanned to create deepfakes.
The doubt therefore is whether the new profiles of AI experts sought by Netflix will have the task of introducing artificial intelligence more and more into films and series, with all due respect to the screenwriters and actors in the flesh.
The roles Netflix was looking for
In reality, taking a closer look at the characteristics of the five open positions, certain fears are excessive.
Machine learning, in the near future, should be used above all for users. To better understand their tastes and more accurately recommend new content based on what they have watched.
The only figure of the five that can leave some doubts is that of the machine learning platform product managerwhich has the task of integrating AI “in all areas of the business“, therefore including the production of films and series.
The question of salaries
The problem of wages is more concrete and immediate. Which, together with fears related to AI, is the trigger for the strike of Hollywood screenwriters and actors.
It’s true, superstars make dizzying sums. But they are only a small part. While 5% make well over $200,000 in annual earnings, 70 to 75% of actors make less than $40,000 a year.
In light of the salaries that we have reported for the professional figures sought by Netflix in the AI field, the reasons for discontent are certainly not specious.
The untimeliness of the company, which publishes announcements of managerial positions in this hot period, is also surprising.
The future of cinema
But going back to the first question, is it calculable what will happen to the cinema in the near future, given that artificial intelligence will become more and more refined?
We wrote a similar article regarding the threat of AI to writers (and screenwriters still belong in the category).
A machine will be able to replace a compilation text very well, but the talent and genius capable of surprising with unique and inimitable works (to the composition of which culture, experience, sensitivity, inspiration, intuition, malice and who knows what else contribute) we feel we can say that they will remain steadfast to work for us.
And as far as the deepfake is concerned, we challenge any software to reproduce Robert De Niro’s sardonic smile, hinted on the lips but full of infinite undertones.
And let’s hope we’re not wrong.