SAG-AFTRA-Writers’ Strike: Disney, Netflix, Amazon, Sony, Warner Bros. Discovery Continue Hiring AI Experts Amidst Layoffs

It’s been 3 months since the Writers Guild of America went on strike, followed by the SAG-AFTRA strike, which began on July 14. Needless to mention, AI has been one of the major concerns of these writers and actors. While the leading production houses of Hollywood resort to AI more and more, these artists continue to hold their fight against them and their decisions concerning the usage of AI. However, though the two parties are yet to meet common grounds of understanding, the latter are on a hiring spree, all ready to invest more than ever in AI experts and specialists.

Hollywood’s production houses continue hiring for AI and machine learning

The Hollywood Reporter has collated the data from the job listings of some major companies in Hollywood. This includes names like Disney, Netflix, Amazon, Apple, Sony, Warner Bros. Discovery, Paramount and Universal. These jobs offer base salaries varying between $160,000 (over INR 1.3 crores) to $900,000 (over INR 7.4 crores).

Disney

Disney’s Imagineering team is reportedly looking for an R&D Imagineer to ‘evaluate, adopt, and integrate the latest generative AI’. The job offers a base salary of up to $1,80,000 per year. While Disney Imagineering looks after its world-famous amusement parks like Disneyland and Disney World, Disney’s Streaming Advanced Research Division is also looking for a machine learning engineer who will have to create AI-enabled solutions for Disney+, Star+, and ESPN+.

Netflix

Netflix, on the other hand, is looking for an AI product manager, among multiple other AI and machine learning focused job openings. The product manager will be offered compensation of up to $9,00,000. However, it is worth mentioning that Netflix has been expanding into video games as well, where AI is used commonly as a tool.

Amazon

Amazon has put out a job listing for a senior project manager for Prime Video. Their responsibility will include “localizing content, enhancing content, or making it accessible using state-of-the-art Generative AI and Computer Vision tech”. The job offers a base salary of up to $3,00,000 (over INR 2.5 crores).

Sony

Sony Picture Entertainment’s Sony AI America division is hiring an AI “Ethics” engineer who will help “advance AI so that it augments — and works in harmony with — humans to benefit society.” The listing also mentioned it “believe[s] in researching and developing AI techniques that empower the imagination and creativity of artists, makers and creators around the world.”

Paramount, WB Discovery and Universal

Paramount (CBS Division), Warner Bros. Discovery and NBC Universal too, have stepped onto this AI hype train, with multiple job openings for AI and machine learning-based jobs focusing on departments like research, and customer service.

In retrospect, one cannot remove from the picture the massive layoffs that most of these companies did in recent times, citing cost-cutting. While if AI will indeed take over the future of audiovisual creativity is still up for debate, the biggies of the industry have definitely embraced the technology, or will do so in the near future. It is now up to the Writers Guild of America, Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers for the final word on it.