HBO and Max Chief Casey Bloys said he has no plans to use artificial intelligence to create shows and simply doesn’t see it happening in our world following the resolution of the Writers Guild Of America’s strike.
Speaking at Vox Media’s Code Conference in Los Angeles on Wednesday, Bloys said that he knows it “sounds old-fashioned,” but added that he’s still “holding out hope for, especially in an artistic endeavor, the need for soul and human stories,” rather than those created by things like ChatGPT, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
“I know that some people use it [AI] as a prompt to say, ‘Give me some ideas,'” Bloys said. “Again, if a writer wants to do that, fine, but I don’t see a world where a writer is out of that process and a bunch of executives are saying, ‘OK ChatGPT gives us a great ‘True Detective’ season.'”
As writers hit the picket lines during the 146-day WGA strike, they were absolutely barred from writing anything for the Hollywood studios and streamers. But there was no reason they couldn’t write their own scripts on spec. https://t.co/fd06brv5BO
— Variety (@Variety) September 28, 2023
“I don’t see it happening,” he added. “It’s not, that’s not a world I’m interested in working in. But, you know, who knows where technology goes, but for the foreseeable future, given how we work at HBO and Max and the kinds of shows we’re doing, I don’t see it overtaking the necessary artistic ability that’s needed.”
The head of the network/streamer said that with the writers strike ending — but the SAG-AFTRA strike still ongoing — “it’s an uncertain time” in the industry.
“It’s a scary time. There’s a lot changing, so it is not business as usual,” Bloys said. “I don’t think any of any aspect of the business is business as usual. Labor issues included.”
In May, the WGA voted to go on strike over a variety of issues — and one of them included the use of artificial intelligence when it comes to the production of screenplays, THR noted. On Wednesday, the WGA agreed to a tentative a deal with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) that ended the 148-day strike. The agreement didn’t ban the use of AI, but did restrict how it can be credited and utilized, the outlet noted.
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“The Companies agree that because neither traditional AI nor GAI is a person, neither is a ‘writer’ or ‘professional writer,'” states the Memorandum of Agreement. “Therefore, written material produced by traditional AI or GAI shall not be considered literary material.”
“A writer must obtain the Company’s consent before using GAI,” the agreement added. “The Company retains the right to reject the use of GAI, including the right to reject a use of GAI that could adversely affect the copyrightability or exploitation of the work.”
One of the things that led to the strike was writers’ concerns that studios’ use of things like ChatGPT — to write or rewrite scripts — will take away jobs from producers, writers, and more, as previously reported.
Related: Writers Strike Could Be Ending As WGA Reaches Tentative Deal With Studios