ScreenSkills Report Raises Artificial Intelligence, Redundancy Concern

Some UK film and TV industry organizations are imposing “strict internal controls” around artificial intelligence, according to a new report from training body ScreenSkills.

The report, which examined skills gaps in the industry and found many to be predicting layoffs in the near future, focused heavily on AI and its adoption in film and TV.

According to interviewees in the report, “some organisations” in the industry are imposing “strict internal controls” on AI, “especially around copyright risk, leading to limited use.”

Industry views on generative AI are “cautious,” the report said, also citing “copyright” and “accuracy concerns.”

“Adoption levels [of AI] vary widely,” the report said. “Others rely on AI daily for back-office efficiency, using tools for coding help, spreadsheet automation, social media monitoring, or generating early concept, casting, or pitch materials. AI was broadly considered valuable for time consuming or repetitive tasks, but risky for activities where factual accuracy, creative intent, or legal clarity are critical.”

The report carried quotes from people working in the industry including one high-end TV employee who predicted: “AI will replace almost the entire department in the long run.”

AI is a hot button topic at present and its merits and pitfalls have been debated for years now. Unsurprisingly, the report focused on some areas that it will never replace, such as “interpersonal skills.”

In the post production and VFX sector, which is probably the area most impacted by AI, “Interpersonal skills were mentioned most frequently when respondents were asked which skills have become critical to the department they work within, due to new and emerging technologies,” the report added. “The perceptions around AI were more variable with early adopters – such as those working in animation, post-production and visual effects (VFX) – being clearer on how it could impact their respective workforces and a higher percentage being more confident it could result in redundancies.”

Upskilling the industry

Titled “Powering Production: Identifying skills needs in the UK’s screen industry,” the report found that “mid-level and senior staff were largely seen as needing to be upskilled as their role shifts from task delivery to management.”

It said “around half of respondents anticipate some changes to working practices, others predicted redundancies and some were uncertain.”

Nearly two-thirds (64%) of employers said they had found it difficult to recruit for roles over the last 12 months, with this problem particularly stark in film, where the figure rose to 71%.

In its policy recommendation section, ScreenSkills called for a shake-up of the high-end TV tax credit regime, which many in the industry have been urging for months. It asked the government for help with more courses, apprenticeships and local skills improvements plans to upskill the shifting workforce.