As Hollywood grapples with worries about the threat of artificial intelligence, the union that represents animators is facing dissent over its latest

Animation Guild board defends contract deal as some members critique AI terms

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2024-12-12 05:00:06

As Hollywood grapples with worries about the threat of artificial intelligence, the union that represents animators is facing dissent over its latest deal with major studios.

Three Animation Guild negotiations committee members said they will vote “no” on a tentative contract the guild reached with their employers, saying the AI protections they wrangled don’t go far enough.

“I believe the A.I. and outsourcing protections in this contract are not strong enough — and in my opinion — could lead to the loss of a lot of jobs,” wrote negotiations committee member Michael Rianda, who directed the animated film “The Mitchells vs. the Machines,” on Instagram. “Real members lives could be hurt by not having these protections.”

The Animation Guild’s executive board disputed any notion that the deal lacks support, saying in a statement that more than 90% of the negotiations committee table team backed the tentative agreement and recommend ratification.

“Generative AI is a complex and deeply concerning issue for our industry, and we recognize the passion and apprehension it has sparked among our members,” the executive board said. “It’s also important to understand that union contracts alone cannot solve this challenge, as seen in the recent contracts of other entertainment unions with far larger memberships and leverage than our own.”

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