Netflix's publishing of a job ad for an AI specialist has outraged the striking Hollywood actors and writers.
The new position would be part of the Machine Learning Platform team, which is responsible for Netflix's algorithm that helps users choose new programs to watch.
It pays up to $900,000 (£700,000) annually, hence this fuels further outrage. Unions in Hollywood are on strike over concerns regarding the impact of artificial intelligence on the entertainment industry and salaries.
The listing, which was first reported on Tuesday, is one of several on Netflix's career page that seeks candidates with experience in machine learning (ML) and artificial intelligence (AI).
It is unclear from the extensive job description whether the position will provide advice on Netflix's investment in content, i.e. television programs and films.
According to a second job posting for a product manager on the Machine Learning Platform team, the successful candidate will "collect feedback and understand user needs" before assisting with investment decisions.
The job description suggests that the candidate will be responsible for assessing the funding requirements of various programs using artificial intelligence.
This is a major concern of the actor's union, Sag-Aftra, which has expressed concern that algorithms have too much power.
According to Sag-Aftra's Fran Drescher, the singular success of a film or television program is substantially less significant than it was when broadcast television dominated.
She stated that algorithms determine how many episodes a season must have prior to reaching a plateau of new subscribers, as well as how many seasons a series must have.
This reduces the number of seasons to three or four and the number of episodes per season to between six and ten. You cannot subsist on that.
We are being systematically forced out of our livelihoods by a business model that was imposed on us and has caused a plethora of problems for everyone at every level.
The WGA has proposed a system that regulates the use of artificial intelligence in the writing process and prohibits its use as primary material.
Netflix did not respond to the job postings, but has stated in the past that artificial intelligence will not replace creative labor.
Netflix has stated that the best stories are unique, insightful, and frequently based on the experiences of the characters themselves.
Some striking actors condemned the news of the most recent AI-based job advertisement, as they must earn $26,470 before being eligible for health insurance benefits.
Rob Delaney, an actor, stated to The Intercept that $900,000 per year per soldier in their godless AI army is repugnant. This is because such earnings would qualify for thirty-five actors and their families for Sag-Aftra health insurance.
Lost originator Javier Grillo-Marxuach accused Netflix of pleading for destitution while recruiting VERY (by FAR) well-compensated generals for your army of soulless silicon plagiarists.
This week, Netflix announced the launch of a new app, My Netflix, which the company describes as "a personalized one-stop shop with quick links to help you choose what to watch."
