It’s kind of shocking that there aren’t more people actively pushing back against AI interference in the entertainment industry, probably because their interests are primarily motivated by profit and they believe that AI will solve monetizable nonsense more easily than ever before. But Reed Hastings, co-founder and current chairman of Netflix, decided to give people their share, even if it’s likely to be about profits.
Hastings recently appeared on the “Possible” podcast co-hosted by LinkedIn co-founder Reid Hoffman and Aria Finger, according to Business Insider. During his appearance, he was asked which industries would be most affected by AI, and he was somewhat conflicted: “The least affected, I think, would be entertainment,” he said. “You’re not going to watch robots play basketball. We love human conflict, and that’s what attracts us.”
He has a good point. Earlier this month, a humanoid robot set a record completes a half marathon. Much of the traction the event has gained online has been people enjoying it crashing robots to the finish line. Machines are a technical achievement, but humans are not robots because there is no risk for humans to interact. Part of the wonder of athletics is that the people involved are made of the same stuff as you, and you watch them do things you can’t. How do you communicate with a robot that doesn’t suffer from cramps, shortness of breath, or any other health condition, but doesn’t have a technical malfunction?
Hastings is not entirely out of AI. During his appearance, he said the technology will ultimately make manufacturing cheaper. But, he said, anything in the “emotional realm” would not be bothered by artificial intelligence. This means that The Tilly Norwoods of the world likely won’t get deals for the next Netflix production.
Before mistakenly thinking that Hastings had high hopes for humanity, he expressed real doubts about man’s ability to deal with these emotional hooks. He apparently expressed concerns that younger generations may not be interested in long-form content, finding the small, scrolling clips of TikTok and other short-form video platforms more appealing. That’s probably not surprising to hear from the man who reportedly owns the company requires creatives to repeat what is happening appears on the screen over and over so that people scrolling on their phones don’t lose the plot.
