Netflix’s recent job advert for an artificial intelligence (AI) expert has sparked fury among Hollywood actors and writers currently on strike. The streaming giant’s offer to join the Machine Learning Platform team, responsible for driving the Netflix algorithm to assist viewers in discovering new content, comes with an eye-catching salary of up to $900,000 (£700,000) per year, further intensifying the backlash.
The ongoing Hollywood strikes stem from concerns regarding AI’s impact on the entertainment industry and compensation. The controversial job listing, reported by The Intercept on Tuesday, is just one of several similar positions posted on Netflix’s job page, all seeking candidates with expertise in machine learning (ML) and AI.
Netflix’s product manager job description has stirred controversy as it reveals the company’s extensive plans to utilize AI across all aspects of its operations, including enhancing content creation and acquisition. Additionally, the role will involve implementing AI in more standard practices, such as personalizing content recommendations for individual users.
Actor Rob Delaney, known for his lead role in the “Black Mirror” episode, expressed his outrage over the situation, highlighting that each soldier in Netflix’s AI army is offered a staggering $900,000 per year. He argued that such a sum could instead provide SAG-AFTRA health insurance for thirty-five actors and their families, labeling the situation as “ghoulish.” Delaney, who has experienced both financial struggles and prosperity in the entertainment industry, emphasized that there is enough wealth in the business, but it all comes down to the company’s priorities.
The comprehensive job advertisement lacks clarity regarding whether the position will involve advising on content choices, such as selecting TV programs and films for investment at Netflix.
In a separate job listing for a product manager on the Machine Learning Platform team, it is stated that the future employee will be responsible for “collecting feedback and understanding user needs” to contribute to investment decisions. This description strongly suggests that AI will be utilized to assess funding requirements for various programs.
This particular aspect has raised significant concerns for the actors’ union, Sag-Aftra, which fears that algorithms wield excessive power. According to Sag-Aftra’s Fran Drescher, the traditional emphasis on the singular success of any film or television program has diminished significantly in the age of dominant broadcast television.
“Algorithms dictate how many episodes a season needs to be before you reach a plateau of new subscribers and how many seasons a series needs to be on,” she asserted.
“That reduces the number of episodes per season to between six and 10, and it reduces the number of seasons to three or four. You can’t live on that. We’re being systematically squeezed out of our livelihood by a business model that was foisted upon us, that has created a myriad of problems for everyone up and down the ladder.”
In response to these concerns, the writers’ guild, WGA, has put forward a proposal to regulate the usage of AI in the writing process and to prohibit its utilization as primary source material.”
Netflix has chosen not to comment on the recent AI-based job listings, but they have previously stated their belief that AI will not replace the creative process.
According to Netflix, the essence of the best stories lies in their originality, insights, and unique perspectives that come from people’s own experiences.
The revelation of the latest AI-driven job listing drew condemnation from some striking actors, who must earn $26,470 before becoming eligible for health insurance benefits.
Javier Grillo-Marxuach, renowned for his work on the series Lost, accused Netflix of hypocritically claiming poverty while recruiting highly paid individuals for their AI team, which he referred to as a “soulless army of silicon plagiarists.”
In another development, earlier this week, Netflix introduced a new app called “My Netflix,” designed to be a personalized one-stop shop with convenient shortcuts to aid users in selecting what they wish to watch.
