When watching a movie or a television show, listening to a song, or reading a book, we always come away with much more than the images, sounds, or words that may come from those media. People love their favorite television shows because of the human connection they establish with the main characters. At the same time, a song helps convey the turmoil or ecstasy of the performer and writer. There’s a distinct human connection.

Below is an assessment of how we must balance innovation and safety regarding AI and popular culture.

How Will AI Change Entertainment?

Artificial intelligence is making a big splash in various industries, with professionals worldwide fearing for their jobs. While historic technological advances have replaced lower wage earners, even the most creative and celebrated may soon fear for their positions.

The entertainment industry has gone through seismic changes over the past few decades through the advent of various technologies. Streaming movies and shows over the internet has become the norm, while how content is made has also changed.

When we think about AI online safety and using this tech responsibly, our mind rarely goes to entertainment. However, the movie and television industries could experience some dramatic changes if AI’s influence in these sectors is not monitored carefully.

A few ways that we can expect to see AI change the dynamic of entertainment is through faster creation and editing of CGI content, the replacement of background actors with AI-generated media, and movies and television shows entirely written and edited by AI chat programs.

Faster Creation & Editing of CGI Content

One of the key issues that movie and television studios face with their content in 2023 is the sluggish pace of CGI content creation and editing. Many animators can already use AI algorithms to automate the various processes involved in generating CGI animations.

The work that may take a graphic artist two weeks to complete could be done in a few days with the help of AI. Content creation studios would then be able to ensure their projects are completed at a much faster timetable, especially if those movies or television shows are heavily reliant on CGI scenes.

A possible consequence of greater AI involvement in CGI content creation and editing would be people losing their jobs. Companies may cut the number of graphic designers they employ by 25 or 50 percent, depending on the effectiveness of AI algorithms.

Replacing Background Actors

One of the most controversial moves that movie studios have made in the past few months is to try to make it legal for them to reuse footage of background actors. Studios were hoping to get permission to film a background actor one time but then use their likeness in different movies and shows in the future.

Artificial intelligence would play a key role in this process, as the AI algorithm can create backgrounds for various scenes from older footage of background actors. This process would result in an actor being paid one time to work in the background of a movie or show but then having that scene be reused to create new footage for future projects.

AI Written Shows and Movies

Using AI to create new background scenes for movies and shows using old footage may be controversial, but it is not the most significant way that AI may influence media in the future.

Given that AI chat programs such as ChatGPT can already write essays and blog posts, writing a movie or television show script is not beyond the realms of possibility.

The rapid rate of AI development means that 2024 could easily be the year when the first AI-written movie or television show episode is released.

Prioritizing More Than Profits

The question that everyone involved in the entertainment industry should be asking is whether they are solely in this business to maximize profits. While the objective of any content creation is to make money, there should be specific steps that companies are not willing to take.

Creating movies, children television shows, short films, music videos, and other content is all about humanity. People are telling stories, sharing memories, or working through traumas. The only way content can say something meaningful is if it is written by a real person.

AI Is Here To Stay

There is much to debate about the future of entertainment in a world where artificial intelligence exists. Should we continue to use more AI technology in the entertainment industry, or should movies, television shows, music, books, and poems be left to people?

While the idea of AI creating a television show is appealing as a novelty, it would remove the human element that is essential to creating and enjoying quality content.

AI is here to stay, and the technology will only become more powerful and capable. What does not need to change is the way media is written and created: for and by people.