It’s kind of shocking that there aren’t more people in the entertainment industry actively pushing back on the encroachment of AI, presumably because their interests are primarily driven by profits, and they believe AI will make churning out monetizable slop easier than ever. But Reed Hastings, cofounder and current chairman of Netflix, has decided to cast his lot with the humans—even if that, too, is likely profit-driven.
According to Business Insider, Hastings recently popped up on the “Possible” podcast, co-hosted by LinkedIn cofounder Reid Hoffman and Aria Finger. During his appearance, he was asked what industries are most likely to be impacted by AI, and unleashed what is a bit of a contrarian take: “Least affected, I think will be entertainment,” he said. “You’re not going to watch a basketball game of robots. We like the human conflict, and that draws us in.”
He’s got a good point. Earlier this month, a humanoid robot set a record by completing a half-marathon. Most of the traction the event got online was people taking pleasure in the robots that crashed out before the finish line. The machines are a technical achievement, but there are no stakes for people to relate to because people are not robots. Part of the marvel of athletics is that the people involved are made up of the same stuff as you, and you get to watch them do things you can’t. How do you relate to a robot that doesn’t have to worry about cramps or shortness of breath or any other health condition, but just has to not have a technical failure?
Hastings isn’t out on AI entirely. During his appearance, he did say that the technology would ultimately make productions cheaper. But, he said, anything in the “emotional realm” won’t have to worry about AI. That means the Tilly Norwoods of the world likely won’t be getting deals for the next Netflix production.
Before you mistakenly think that Hastings has high hopes for humanity, though, he did express real doubts about the human capacity to engage with those emotional hooks. He apparently raised concerns that younger generations will have no interest in long-form content, finding the bite-sized, scrollable clips of TikTok and other short-form video platforms more compelling. That’s probably not surprising to hear from the guy whose company reportedly demands creatives restate what is happening on screen repeatedly so people who are watching while scrolling on their phone don’t lose the plot.
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