America has lost 200k of jobs in media, film and the arts. How much is AI?
Massive job losses in U.S. film, media and the arts are prompting questions about whether AI is to blame, but many argue the primary forces are elsewhere: streaming-era business models, fragmented attention across TikTok/YouTube, globalization of production, and the end of generous subsidies and cheap money. Commenters note that visual effects, commercial illustration and subtitling are starting to feel real AI pressure, yet economists and industry veterans see overall employment trends as a continuation of pre‑AI shifts plus offshoring and consolidation. Beneath the numbers, people worry more about cultural impact than macroeconomics: an oversupply of cheap, often low-quality content, worsening working conditions, and a system that optimizes for “efficiency” and quarterly profits rather than sustainable creative careers.
Perceived Quality of Media
- Many feel recent US film/TV/YouTube is “slop”: formulaic scripts, clickbait, overproduced but shallow, with weak writing and safe, focus-grouped themes.
- Others argue there has always been lots of bad content; distribution and streaming now surface far more of it, making the “slop” more visible.
- Some say there’s a genuine slump in mainstream Hollywood while indie, foreign, anime, older films, and niche platforms are creatively stronger.
- Disagreement over nostalgia vs. real decline: some claim 80s–00s output was plainly better; others blame survivorship bias.
AI vs Other Causes of Job Loss
- Several commenters say AI’s macro job impact in media is currently small; major factors cited:
- High interest rates, inflation, and fuel costs squeezing margins.
- End of COVID-era content boom and subsequent correction.
- 2023 Hollywood strikes disrupting production.
- Offshoring of film/TV and VFX to cheaper, subsidized locations in Europe, Canada, India, etc.
- Tax incentive competition between regions.
- Others insist AI is already automating commercial art, advertising illustration, captions/subtitling, some SFX, and is clearly a growing threat.
Attention Shifts and the New Media Mix
- TikTok, YouTube, Reels, podcasts, games, and chat apps are widely seen as diverting attention from traditional film/TV.
- Short-form content is described as addictive but shallow, potentially degrading attention spans and tolerance for long-form works.
- Some individuals report cutting back streaming entirely in favor of books, hobbies, or targeted how‑to videos.
Streaming Economics and Industry Structure
- Streaming broke the old TV model (ads + physical media + syndication + residuals).
- Shorter seasons, longer gaps, fewer writers, weak or no residuals, and globalized production reduce stable employment.
- Subscription fragmentation and rising prices lead to churn and user hostility; some wish for aggregators or even a return to DVDs/cable-like bundles.
Content Oversupply and Creator Dynamics
- Massive oversupply of video, games, and music means far more “good enough” content than anyone can consume; discovery and curation, not production, are the bottlenecks.
- Influencers and small creators earn significant money, but income is Pareto-distributed and many feel drowned in competition.
- Cheap tools (including AI) let solo creators achieve previously studio-only production values, further eroding traditional jobs.
Broader Economic Context and Policy Debates
- Debates over whether rising “real” wages offset spikes in housing, healthcare, and essentials; many say statistics don’t match lived experience.
- High housing costs in hubs like LA are blamed for hollowing out the Hollywood ecosystem and pushing work abroad.
- Some argue consolidation, monopolistic platforms, and “efficiency” ideology funnel gains to capital over labor; others frame job loss as normal technological progress that eventually raises living standards.