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Hollywood’s actors and writers have both gone on strike for the first time since 1960 to protest against a number of decisions by major studios that include not just job cuts but also a potentially unsettling future in which they could be replaced by artificial intelligence. The leaders of SAG-AFTRA, the Hollywood union representing 160,000 television and movie actors, went on strike on Thursday, joining the industry’s screenwriters who have already been picketing for over 70 days. Among the many issues flagged by both the writers and actors in the protests has been how generative AI tools could replace their roles in the industry. Over the last decade, AI has found several uses in the movie and television industry, from de-aging actors, analysing patterns and behaviours of viewers on streaming platforms, bringing back the voices of late actors and even helping stitch together entire movie trailers. One of the proposals, as explained by SAG-AFTRA’s national executive director and chief negotiator Duncan Crabtree-Ireland, feels like it is straight out of dystopian science fiction series Black Mirror. During a press conference on Thursday, Mr Crabtree-Ireland alleged that a proposal from Hollywood studios was to use “groundbreaking AI” to scan background performers and only offer them a day’s pay while the companies get to own the scans and use them for any project they want. “This ‘groundbreaking’ AI proposal that they gave us yesterday, they proposed that our background performers should be able to be scanned, get one day’s pay, and their companies should own that scan, their image, their likeness and should be able to use it for the rest of eternity on any project they want, with no consent and no compensation,” the executive said. “If you think that’s a groundbreaking proposal, I suggest you think again,” Mr Crabtree-Ireland said. A statement from the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP), that represents the studios, claims the “groundbreaking AI” proposal “protects actors’ digital likenesses for SAG-AFTRA members”. “We are being victimized by a very greedy enterprise... The entire business model has been changed by streaming and AI If we don’t stand tall right now, we are all going to be in jeopardy,” the actors’ guild president Fran Drescher said on Thursday. Follow along here for real-time updates on the SAG-AFTRA strike Writers who have already been protesting since May have also sought assurances from studios that their jobs would not be threatened by AI. With the steady rise of online streaming services looking to rack up user subscriptions by churning out endless amounts of digital content, writers on strike have sought new pay structures, guaranteed periods of work as well as better discussions on the limits of AI use. Members of the Writers Guild of America (WGA) shared concerns that producers may seek to use AI to write scripts or at least use the technology to complete unfinished screenplays, and have also urged production houses to agree to safeguards around its usage. Screenwriters fear AI could be used to churn out a rough first draft with a few simple prompts and writers may then be hired after this initial step to punch such drafts up – albeit at a lower pay rate. Without further dialogue with studios, writers have raised concerns there could be a number of new ways that AI could be used to craft outlines for stories, fill in scenes and even come up with mock-up drafts. “There are ways it can be useful. But too many people are using it against us and using it to create mediocrity. They’re also in violation of copyright. They’re also plagiarizing,” Michael Winship, president of the WGA East, said in May. With these risks in mind, the WGA seeks more safeguards on how AI can be applied to the screenwriting process. Read More Hollywood actors and writers strike after ‘disgusting’ studios turn down deal. Here’s what it means for you Hollywood in historic shutdown as actors union joins writers strike: ‘The eyes of the world are upon us’ Cast of Oppenheimer walk out of UK premiere ahead of actors’ strike announcement What happens next as striking actors send Hollywood into meltdown? Issa Rae and Jamie Lee Curtis lead A-listers voicing support for actors strike Hollywood in historic shutdown as actors union joins writers strike

Elon Musk thinks we might be on the precipice of another world war, following a discussion on X/Twitter on 23 October. The billionaire owner of the social media platform warned that the United States is “sleepwalking into World War III” and that “civilization itself may be at stake”. Musk said US foreign policy right now should be preventing a situation of “a regional conflict rapidly becoming a global conflict”. The Tesla owner’s comments come amid Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the Israel-Hamas conflict. However, he was referring more specifically to the growing relationship between Russia and China. Should that continue to blossom, it could spell disaster for the US, and that Russia, with its “abundance in raw materials, and China, with its phenomenal industrial capacity” are a formidable duo. Musk added that US foreign policy has been about “forcing Russia to ally with Iran and China” for a number of years, and that it should “figure out” a road towards peace in Ukraine and “resume normal relations with Russia.” The discussion also featured Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy, who has previously expressed isolationist, some argue pro-Russia, views on the Ukraine war. He argued last year that the US should force Ukraine to cede much of the territory taken by Russia in the eastern part of the country, in return for president Vladimir Putin cutting military ties with China. On 23 October, Musk appeared to echo that view, suggesting that the present lines of control should be established as a ceasefire line or permanent border. Musk came under fire in September, when excerpts of a new biography published in the Washington Post said he had denied Ukraine access to his starlink satellite service for an offensive against Russia in Crimea last year. Since Russia invaded Ukraine, Starlink has provided internet to Ukrainian civilians and its military. Musk has since signed a contract with the Pentagon, which pays for Ukraine’s use of the service. He said of the cut in service: “If I had agreed to their request, then SpaceX would be explicitly complicit in a major act of war and conflict escalation.” Musk added: “Starlink was not meant to be involved in wars. It was so people can watch Netflix and chill and get online for school and do good peaceful things, not drone strikes.” Days later, Putin praised Musk as a “talented businessman.” Sign up to our free Indy100 weekly newsletter Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.

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Kim Kardashian has left viewers of The Kardashians open-mouthed after making potentially her most out-of-touch move yet, by bringing a glam squad to get her driving license. "It's a big deal because you have to live with it for a long time", says her hair stylist, Chris Appleton. The reality star rocks up to the DMV office with a makeup artist carrying a huge back of beauty products and Appleton, who is carrying a ring light so she can get just the right look on her photo. Sign up to our free Indy100 weekly newsletter