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The Animation Guild Shares ‘Generative AI’ Economic Impact Study Results

Conducted by LA-based CVL Economics, the study surveyed 300 C-Suite leaders to better understand the entertainment industry’s growing embrace of GenAI technology and its effect on jobs.

Los Angeles-based economic development and growth consultancy CVL Economics conducted a study commissioned by Concept Art Association (CAA), The Animation Guild (IATSE Local 839), The Human Artistry Campaign, and The National Cartoonist Society Foundation, shedding light on the impact of Generative AI on jobs within the entertainment industry.

The study, conducted between November 17 and December 22, 2023, surveyed 300 C-Suite leaders, senior executives, and mid-level managers across six key entertainment industries to better understand the current use of this technology, its future use over the next three years, and assessing how these technologies will impact creative workers.

The results reflect entertainment industry leaders’ growing embrace of GenAI Technology. It also discusses technology’s potential impact on the creation and elimination of jobs.

The Animation Guild (IATSE Local 839) has shared some of key findings:

  • Three-fourths (75%) of survey respondents indicated GenAI tools, software, and/or models had supported the elimination, reduction, or consolidation of jobs in their business division. At the same time, most executives and managers indicate GenAI has already led to the creation of new job titles and roles in their organization.
  • Over 90% of business leaders foresee GenAI playing a larger role in the entertainment industries, with 26% indicating it would play a significantly larger role over the next three years. That said, only 26% of respondents felt their organization’s workforce wsa prepared for the integration of GenAI into their workflows.
  • Almost half (47%) of business leaders felt that over the next three years, GenAI will be effective in generating 3D assets as well as realistic sound design for film, television, and video games.
  • Another 44% believed GenAI would be able to generate realistic and convincing foreign-language dubbing for film or television dialogue, and 39% believed GenAI would be generating music mixes and masters by 2026.
  • About 21.4% of Film, Television, and Animation jobs (or approximately 118,500 jobs) are likely to have enough tasks affected to be either consolidated, replaced, or eliminated by GenAI in the U.S. by 2026. As the state with the largest industry employment and industry concentration (or location quotient), California will be impacted the most (affecting 39,500 jobs) both in total job disruption nationwide and with respect to its own economy. New York also has a relatively high employment concentration and will see 15,100 film, television, and animation jobs affected over the next three years.

Read the full report, “The Future Unscripted: The Impact of Generative Artificial Intelligence on Entertainment Industry Jobs,” here.

Source: The Animation Guild 

Debbie Diamond Sarto's picture

Debbie Diamond Sarto is news editor at Animation World Network.