The growing battle between AI and human creativity

AI Stock photos by Vecteezy

Artificial intelligence has made substantial advancements over the past few years, from having the ability to create images on demand to now being able to generate videos with sound and effects that are indistinguishable from reality. While many see these tools as a technological breakthrough, many performers view them as a potential threat to the future of their careers.

As AI-generated media continues to become more realistic, concerns are growing about how those AI tools are trained and whether human performers are being fairly compensated for the use of their art. MIT explains that AI models are trained by finding patterns in large sets of data. That data includes videos, images and voices of real human actors without properly crediting or paying them. In order to protect the livelihoods of human performers, there must be strict regulations for the AI tools production studios are permitted to use for content creation.

The threat of AI replacing human entertainers is not just hypothetical. In August 2024, Radio Kraków host Mateusz Demski was fired from the station along with several other journalists, and they were shortly replaced by a trio of AI-generated hosts. Radio Kraków explained the decision as an experiment, as they were struggling financially. The AI characters were not popular among listeners, and they were removed after a large petition campaign.

Media professionals’ labor union SAG-AFTRA represents approximately 160,000 performers. They are outspoken in opposition to the use of AI performers. In a statement on their official website, SAG-AFTRA declared that “creativity is, and should remain, human centered.”

The statement elaborated on the problematic nature of unregulated AI. “It creates the problem of using stolen performances to put actors out of work, jeopardizing performer livelihoods and devaluing human artistry.”

Multiple groups within the entertainment industry have held strikes to raise awareness of the rising threat AI poses to their professions and to demand fair compensation and regulations. Video game voice actors and motion-capture performers are the latest to join the picket lines, after Hollywood writers and actors participated in their own strikes.

Supporters for the development of AI-generated content argue that AI lowers production costs and allows companies to operate more efficiently. However, a study conducted by Wyzowl found that 68% of consumers prefer watching videos with human actors because they create stronger emotional connections. Authentic human performances are what viewers want to see, and those genuine connections cannot be replaced by AI.

AI is an extraordinary innovation in modern technology, but it should not threaten the livelihoods of real performers. For the benefit of everyone in the entertainment industry, production studios, labor unions and lawmakers should establish regulations that allow performers to give consent to the use of their work and be compensated fairly.