Today was the IQiyi conference and as expected, their CEO was trying his best to promote the idea of AI muppets replacing real acting.
After proudly announcing that IQiyi had signed up more than 100 actors for its AI database, some of the mentioned artists were quick to point out that they never signed any agreements on starring in AI productions. IQiyi then clarified that for the people in their database separate agreements would be signed for any concrete project involving the use of AI which in turn made the artists’ denials (of which no doubt some were genuine) look like nothing but sophistry to appease their outraged fandoms.
However, in a relationship as unequal as that between IQiyi and their actors, the notion of consent or signing voluntary agreements becomes completely meaningless. While there will always be a few brave souls resisting the Deathstar, most of them will “agree“ and hope that the storm will pass them over.
Under closer scrutiny, none of the arguments brought forth by the IQiyi CEO were convincing in any way. Rather, they reeked of desperation and a total alienation from the audience (the latter is no doubt what caused iQiyi’s current financial dilemma).
The argument that AI would ease the workload of hardworking artists is about as sound as that of a serial killer telling his victims that being killed is for their own good because they won’t have to pay rent the next month. Yes, the actors will have a lot more free time, because they’ll be out of a job and salary.
Likewise for the argument that the use of AI muppets would make productions cheaper so that there would be more budget to hire good screenwriters. Of all the people involved in drama production, screenwriters are probably the cheapest professionals! Many productions lose a large portion of their budget due to people in decision-making positions who line their pockets by using third-party suppliers who overcharge for whatever they provide and feed the proceeds back to them. Also, why not let AI do the writing if screenwriters really were that expensive?
The idea, brought forth by the CEO, that actors who delegate their jobs to AI could in the future produce 14 dramas per year instead of 4, completely ignores the fact that probably nobody wants to watch 14 dramas a year with the same AI muppet as the lead, unless iQiyi somehow also produces a paying Ai audience.
I think it is high time for this CEO to let the AI he loves so much do his job for a while so that he can gain some free time to reflect on what it means to be human - if they suspend his salary while he’s away, IQiyi might also be able to hire a small army of those expensive scriptwriters. How about that?
