Critical Crossroads underscores the importance of protecting the animation workforce
Burbank, CA, September 12, 2024 — On the eve of The Animation Guild’s (TAG) resumed
negotiations with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP), the TAG’s AI
Task Force has released Critical Crossroads: The Impact of Generative AI and the Importance of
Protecting the Animation Workforce. This comprehensive study describes the potentially devastating
impact of Generative AI (GenAI) on animation workers and the animation industry.
The AI Task Force was composed of rank-and-file Guild members across a range of crafts who met
regularly for a year and invited varied experts and leaders in their respective fields to inform the
process. Following are among the report’s findings:
● AI is the top Negotiations Priority for Animation Guild members, underscoring the importance
of addressing these issues in the Collective Bargaining Agreement .
● Addressing the impact of GenAI and ensuring the endurance of human-made art and labor in
animation will require a multi-faceted approach that includes public policy, organized labor, public
pressure and awareness campaigns.
● Entry-level positions will be most susceptible to consolidation or elimination. As a result, AI
systems are likely to disproportionately affect those from less affluent backgrounds and
underrepresented communities who have traditionally used these roles as a means towards economic
mobility.
“This report provides our Negotiations Committee, membership, and the public with a useful tool to
understand the complex landscape around Generative AI products and how they relate to the
animation industry and union job security. My hope is that the report gives animation workers
everywhere confidence in TAG’s multi-pronged approach to meeting the challenge we face.” – AI
Task Force Member Brandon Jarratt
“TAG 839's AI Task Force provides The Animation Guild membership and the public with our best
understanding of how Generative AI will impact animation labor and what we can do about it. While
the stakes are high, we can see strong paths forward for animation workers—we do not have to
resign ourselves to a future where the only job is the mundane checking of AI outputs. GenAI will
never be able to do what we do, and by organizing, we can ensure a future where our art, stories, and
work remain beautiful, meaningful, and human.” – AI Task Force Member Sam Tung
Read a condensed version of the report at https://animationguild.org/ai-and-animation/.
The Animation Guild, also known as Local 839 of the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage
Employees (IATSE), was founded in 1952. As a labor union, we represent more than 5,000 artists,
technicians, writers, and production workers in the animation industry, advocating for workers to
improve wages and conditions.
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