The controversy over AI usage in the new SAG-AFTRA contract

In a recent podcast episode, Justine Bateman discusses her concerns with the new SAG-AFTRA contract and its provisions regarding the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in the entertainment industry. Bateman argues that the contract does not provide enough protections against the replacement of human actors with synthetic AI objects, and raises concerns about the impact this could have on the employment and compensation of human actors. She emphasizes the importance of distinguishing between human characters and non-human characters in films and calls for stronger safeguards to ensure that humans are not displaced by AI performers. Bateman also expresses worries about loopholes in the contract and the potential exploitation of AI technology by studios. Despite the criticism, SAG-AFTRA's position is to not ban AI but to establish effective guardrails around its usage.