Digging the grave of my job: Hollywood creatives training AI to do their jobs
Hollywood creatives are increasingly taking gig work to train AI models, effectively teaching the software to replicate their own professional skills. This trend is driven by a slump in traditional entertainment industry jobs and has sparked debate about the long-term impact on creative professions.
Why it matters
The intersection of AI development and creative labor highlights the economic anxiety surrounding automation in high-skill industries.
Ruth Fowler, a screenwriter and producer, at home in Los Angeles, California. Ruth Fowler, a screenwriter and producer, at home in Los Angeles, California. Reworked Technology ‘Digging the grave of my profession’: the Hollywood creatives training AI to do their jobs Amid a jobs slump, award-winning writers, directors and producers taking on sometimes lucrative temp work teaching AI skills such as screenwriting and production
About this content Robert Booth UK technology editor Sat 22 Aug 2026 02.00 EDT Share Prefer the Guardian on Google H ollywood creatives are taking gig work to train AI models to replicate their skills in a bid to offset tightening earnings in a trend one compared to being “handed a shovel and asked to dig the grave of my profession”.
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