Heavens no

I am not on the side of the writers and actors. I place a great deal of blame on Hollywood for the condition our state is in. They have used their liberal agenda to influence and support our politicians in this once great state. So now they are worried about possibly losing their jobs to AI. As far as I’m concerned AI could possibly do a much better job than they are doing. I say give it a chance.

— Pat Evans, Newport Beach

I’m with writers and actors

Writers create the plots and actors embody the characters. Without these creative professionals there would be no screenplays, teleplays or well-crafted characterizations. Studio heads and production companies reap the benefits in the form of sky-high profits. The profit pie is large. Give these artists a well-earned and sizable piece of that pie.

— Ben Miles, Huntington Beach

Intelligent automation

We are at an inflection point in entertainment. Writers and actors are striking, yes for more pay, but with the twist of not having to fully compete with artificial intelligence for performance spots and material. We already utilize computer-generated imagery for scenes that would be impossible to replicate with actors and beasts from our world. Our youth are being fully engaged by an all-consuming gaming system that is entirely artificial intelligence. Car makers are dabbling in self-driving vehicles. The Industrial Revolution put humans on notice that just about any craft could be done by a machine, faster and with more precision. Computers now dominate all means of communication and information storage. So, actors and writers might be going against the grain of history by refusing to be relegated to roles that can’t be duplicated or replicated by AI.

— Robert Snyder, Laguna Hills

Most people don’t care

These guys have been well paid for years; now times are changing. Let’s be honest; TV shows have been going down the tubes for years and movies are few and far between. With all the apps available and YouTube these guys can stay out forever; they won’t be missed.

— Paul Spencer, Huntington Beach