From what I see from reading the summary MOU, they got a total ban on AI. Where do you see that as kicking the can down the road?
Comment on MEMORANDUM OF AGREEMENT FOR THE 2023 WGA THEATRICAL AND TELEVISION BASIC AGREEMENT
InvertedParallax@lemm.ee 11 months ago
They got their writers room but not much else, the raises are small, haven’t seen anything about ai yet but still reading.
Voroxpete@sh.itjust.works 11 months ago
InvertedParallax@lemm.ee 11 months ago
Oh, they got their writing rooms, they broke the Chinese wall of streaming numbers.
The small raises hurt the rank and file, and the streaming residuals are barely noticeable for the rank and file.
The wga management made out like bandits, tons of money for the health care and pension funds, some cash for training, and they know the numbers now.
I don’t think the average member will see much here.
For ai it’s not a ban, it’s that writers cannot be compelled to work on ai drafts, which is good, but basically it’s an admission that ai sucks now, 5 years down when things have changed there’s room for maneuver.
But the studios did admit ai isn’t that big of a threat today, which is a useful negotiating point.
Voroxpete@sh.itjust.works 11 months ago
This is what the WGA summary says about the AI provisions:
We have established regulations for the use of artificial intelligence (“AI”) on MBA-covered projects in the following ways:
AI can’t write or rewrite literary material, and AI-generated material will not be considered source material under the MBA, meaning that AI-generated material can’t be used to undermine a writer’s credit or separated rights. A writer can choose to use AI when performing writing services, if the company consents and provided that the writer follows applicable company policies, but the company can’t require the writer to use AI software (e.g., ChatGPT) when performing writing services. The Company must disclose to the writer if any materials given to the writer have been generated by AI or incorporate AI-generated material. The WGA reserves the right to assert that exploitation of writers’ material to train AI is prohibited by MBA or other law.
Where do you disagree with their assessment?
InvertedParallax@lemm.ee 11 months ago
The summary is meaningless, the language is critical, attend:
The Companies agree that because neither traditional AI nor GAI is a person, neither is a ‘writer’ or ‘professional writer’ as defined in Articles 1.B.1.a., 1.B.1.b., 1.C.1.a. and 1.C.1.b. of this MBA, and, therefore, written material produced by traditional AI or GAI shall not be considered literary material under this or any prior MBA.
It means gai material is not covered by this agreement unless a writer is asked to rewrite or adapt it as specified in later clauses.
Gai does not get writing credit, but there is no bar from having a gai written script other than the obvious fact that it would be effectively unwatchable without human editing.
otter@lemmy.ca 11 months ago
What’s the friends/office problem?
InvertedParallax@lemm.ee 11 months ago
People watch the old shows too much, way too much, they leave them on as background noise.
New shows get far less play unless they really catch on, so a lot of the money they’re spending on new shows is just wasted.
Surprised a group of investors don’t fund a streaming version of nick at nite, and buy exclusive access to all the 90s and 2000s shows. Everybody would almost need a subscription, but it probably wouldn’t be profitable, rights to those are stupid expensive.
reddig33@lemmy.world 11 months ago
What do you think is a good solution to the friends/office problem?
InvertedParallax@lemm.ee 11 months ago
Oh God, that’s far beyond my ability to address, that’s like asking how to reverse entropy or end world hunger.
They’ll find a way to distract and cover it up, but it’s a fundamental problem, people love the classics universally and the long tail can swallow new content.
Eventually those classics will be priced in as more valuable than now, and God forbid we’ll see them try to leverage them more as rebooted franchises :(
We love them because they make us feel like we felt when we were younger and enjoyed them, and brockmire was right about the power of nostalgia being second only to heroin.
ryathal@sh.itjust.works 11 months ago
Replace residuals with stock grants or simply more money to start. If you really want the lottery ticket effect, then maybe use a bonus structure based on speed to 100 million views or something.