The debut episode of Black Mirror Season 6, titled “Joan Is Awful,” has quickly become eerily relevant. The episode delves into the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the entertainment industry, a topic that has sparked controversy between creative professionals and major studios. This issue is a significant factor behind the ongoing strike led by The Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA), the labor union for performers in the US. Interestingly, this is the first strike by SAG-AFTRA since 2000, and AI-generated “actors” in film and television are at the heart of the dispute. Companies like Netflix, Disney, Amazon, Apple, Paramount, and Warner Bros Discovery, represented by the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP), have so far refused to back down on the use of AI-generated actors.
For fans of Black Mirror, the resemblance between this real-life situation and the show’s predictions is striking. In the episode “Joan Is Awful,” viewers are introduced to a world where AI takes over Hollywood. The parallels between the episode and the current dispute between SAG-AFTRA and AMPTP are uncanny, as if the latter took direct inspiration from the show. In case you haven’t seen it, here’s a brief recap: “Joan Is Awful” revolves around a woman named Joan (played by Annie Murphy) who discovers a streaming TV show about her life also titled “Joan Is Awful.” Surprisingly, the show features Salma Hayek portraying Joan and reenacting events from her life. Joan learns that this is legal because she agreed to the platform’s terms and conditions, allowing Netflix knock-off Streamberry to use her identity. However, the twist is that Joan isn’t portrayed by the real Salma Hayek but rather a digitally licensed likeness. In protest, Joan defecates in public to gain Hayek’s attention. When Hayek witnesses this onscreen through her likeness, she’s appalled. Unfortunately, she can’t get the show shut down as she has signed away the rights to her image indefinitely. Later, it is revealed that Joan isn’t even the real Joan but a fictionalized version using Annie Murphy’s likeness, and Hayek is also a computer-generated imitation of the real actress. Ultimately, “Source Joan” destroys the quantum computer storing the AI copies and regains control over her life.
The current strike by SAG-AFTRA aligns closely with the themes explored in “Joan Is Awful.” AMPTP has proposed a model in which background actors’ likenesses are scanned and stored indefinitely for the studios’ benefit. Shockingly, these actors would receive no compensation apart from a single day’s rate. This sinister plan, if implemented, would produce unsettling and unrealistic results, risking the livelihoods of actors and undervaluing their contributions to the film and television industry. Understandably, actors are outraged, as are we. This strike encompasses broader concerns like fair wages and streaming residuals. The timing of the strike coinciding with the release of “Joan Is Awful” is purely coincidental. However, the strike authorization was approved by SAG-AFTRA members on June 5, 2023, following the expiration of their contract with the studios. Despite negotiations extensions, talks broke down, leading to the official commencement of the strike. This strike is happening alongside the ongoing Writers Guild of America (WGA) strike, which also addresses the threat of AI to writers.
Interestingly, the villain in “Joan Is Awful” is a fictionalized version of Netflix. Life seems to be imitating art, as the parallels between Netflix and the fictional Streamberry are striking. Those skeptical of the AMPTP’s intentions need only hear about their desire to prolong the strike until union members are financially devastated, as stated by the AMPTP themselves regarding the WGA strike. While the SAG-AFTRA strike may end sooner due to actors having more leverage, it is crucial that the demands of both writers and actors are met. The use of AI driven by corporate greed poses a real threat to artistic professions, and many struggling artists are already suffering due to corrupt studios. Under the rules of the SAG-AFTRA strike, not only filming is affected, but also auditions, rehearsals, and most importantly, publicity for TV and film projects. This includes press tours, premiers, award shows, conventions, and even social media posts. The impact is already being felt, and it is hoped that the studios will feel the pressure. Actors and writers are irreplaceable, and AI-generated art falls short of the real thing. By releasing “Joan Is Awful,” Netflix has provided a realistic glimpse into a future of entertainment that no one desires to see.
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Khushi Patel is a science fiction author who lives in Austin, Texas. She has published three novels, and her work has been praised for its originality and imagination. Khushi is a graduate of Rice University, and she has worked as a software engineer. She is a member of the Science Fiction Writers of America, and her books have been nominated for several awards.
