British Film & High-End TV 2: CMS Committee holds session on impact of artificial intelligence
The Culture, Media & Sport Committee will ask what opportunities and challenges artificial intelligence (AI) tools present to the British film and high-end TV (HETV) sector in the first session of the inquiry in this Parliament, on Wednesday 11th December.
Meeting details
The Committee will hear evidence on the current use of AI tools in the film and HETV sector, and will consider what creative and economic impacts this could have. Witnesses include composer and CEO of Fairly Trained, Ed Newton-Rex, whose statement against the unlicensed use of artists’ work by AI production companies was co-signed by thousands of artists including actor Kevin Bacon and Sir Ian Rankin.
With some estimates indicating the UK’s AI market could be worth $1trillion by 2035, the session will explore how companies are using generative AI tools in production and post-production, and the opportunities to grow this part of the sector. MPs may question if the sector has the skills required to capitalise on advances in AI, and what more could be done to support the development of the future workforce.
The ever-expanding use of AI tools by the sector raises concerns for some about the potential impact on jobs in the industry, and on audience trust in generative AI outputs such as ‘Deepfakes’. MPs could also ask how the sector is addressing the ethical implications of using AI and may seek to understand if current legal frameworks are adequate to regulate its use. The Committee could question if there are any lessons the UK could learn from other countries’ approaches to the issues raised.
During the last parliament, the Committee’s predecessor launched an inquiry into British film and high-end TV, however the inquiry was cut short by the announcement of the General Election. The current Committee hopes to build on the success of the previous inquiry, as it continues to ask how the sector and its workforce can be better supported.