Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/1505029
Fall 2023 – LOCAL695.COM 23 by James Delhauer I still remember the first time my brother showed me The Terminator. Arnold Schwarzenegger lumbered through that film, a soulless and unstoppable killing machine hellbent on one thing: killing Sarah Connor so that the Skynet artificial intelligence (AI) could take over the world. This was my first exposure to the concept of artificial intelligence and because of it, I spent years waiting for our family computer to go postal in the middle of the night. Fortunately, computers don't seem all that interested in genocide just yet. Instead, the AI applications that have come to dominate the news cycle in the last few years are focused on efficiency, productivity, and creativity. Services like ChatGPT, Google Bard, Midjourney, Stable Diffusion, and more are being used to complete tasks and churn out content faster than ever before—all of which have the potential to severely disrupt the work and livelihoods of people worldwide. That is why the IATSE has begun a series of initiatives to address the troubling concerns raised by the proliferation of machine-learning technology. Back in May, IATSE International President Matthew D. Loeb announced the creation of the IATSE Commission on Artificial Intelligence. The goal of the commission is to bring IATSE members and representatives together with external experts to help shape the union's approach to handling the challenges and opportunities presented by AI. "As AI continues to evolve and proliferate, it is critical that our union is at the forefront of understanding its impact on our members and industry," said President Loeb. "Just as when silent films became talkies and as the big screen went from black-and-white to full color, the IATSE Commission on Artificial Intelligence is part of our commitment to embracing new technologies. We will work to equip our members with the skills to navigate this technological advancement, and to ensure that the transition into this new era prioritizes the interests and well-being of our members and all entertainment workers." As part of the union's efforts to embrace this new technology, the IATSE Education and Training Department has released a LinkedIn Learning Path (a compilation playlist of video courses on a particular subject). This initiative is the first of many educational initiatives, both on the international Building Solidarity: Discussing Artificial Intelligence