If AI is going to Hollywood, So Should Labor

Silicon Valley PR guy encourages AI industry to pitch Hollywood, labor should do the same.

Yesterday, Silicon Valley PR veteran Jim Prosser published a thought-provoking blog urging AI companies to actively engage with Hollywood, emphasizing the importance of ensuring that AI is portrayed positively in mainstream culture. He supported his recommendation by highlighting how the US military has long influenced countless productions to shape public perception. “The tech industry could learn from this playbook,” Prosser wrote. He noted that, so far, Hollywood has produced relatively few films that portray AI in a positive light.

The same argument could be made for labor.

Support for unions in the United States is currently at its highest level since 1965, even though union membership is at a historical low.

Despite the overwhelming popular support for workers, Hollywood rarely, if ever, tells stories of organized labor. Hollywood, known for its influential control over macro narratives, is enabling what Walter Chaw describes as a conspicuous silence on one of the most relevant and popular topics in the United States. Chaw’s post titled “Hollywood Made A Calculated Decision To Stop Making Movies About Labor Unions — And It’s Not Because People Weren’t Watching Them” distills some of the reasons why. . It lists the very few Hollywood productions that featured organized labor, and unions, and explains how the vast majority of the short list depict labor in a negative light. One possible explanation for the scarcity of labor-themed movies, both in recent times and historically, is that Hollywood has no vested interest in fostering unity among the workforce. Why would they encourage worker solidarity when they are the very people that continue benefiting from the lack of class consciousness?

Another possibility is the lack of a concerted effort to pressure Hollywood to make a big pro-worker movie or series happen. Perhaps if one was made it would be wildly successful, leading to additional features and series.

Ai-jen Poo, Executive Director of the National Domestic Workers Association, embarked on a journey to Hollywood in recent years with the aim of advocating for improved representation of domestic workers, and her efforts proved successful. She played a pivotal role in supporting the release of Netflix's "Maid" and even graced the Oscars red carpet alongside Meryl Streep when "Roma" secured three Academy Awards. More recently, both Ai-jen Poo and the National Domestic Workers Association were signed by Hollywood agents at ICM. There have also been efforts by whistleblower groups to cut whistleblowers in to hollywood films (eg Reality, the movie about Reality Winner, a US government whistleblower), because there are so many whistleblower movies, TV shows, and documentaries.

By making a concerted effort to pressure Hollywood to make more pro-worker films and series, we would be forcing the question of labor into the culture, inspiring working people to build direct democracy in their workplaces and communities. There is a massive audience for this type of content. Everyone loves a David vs Goliath story as told in the workplace, because most people can resonate with working too hard for too little pay. It’s the reason why Starbucks workers and Amazon workers captured the hearts of millions worldwide.

The goal extends beyond mere inclusion of workers in movies; labor should go to Hollywood to advance specific projects that depict workers uniting to improve their working conditions and emphasize the advantages of unionization. As Prosser correctly pointed out, movies and series hold immense power in shaping public opinion and popular culture. Through collaboration with influential figures in Hollywood, labor and workers could actively shape the discourse surrounding labor-related matters. By portraying the challenges, victories, and dreams of workers in a positive manner, we would challenge stereotypes and dispel misconceptions, ultimately fostering a society that is well-informed and supportive of workers organizing and unions. This, in turn, would contribute to cultivating an environment conducive to advocating for labor rights and driving pro-worker policy changes.

Do you know anyone who works in and around Hollywood? Are there scripts lying around that, if turned into TV series or movies, would present labor in a positive light? As we learned this morning from Jeff Bezos’ decision not to publish opinions he disagrees with in the Washington Post, these ideas are unlikely to gain ground if pitched to a buyer for Amazon Prime – however there are plenty of independent studios who might see Amazon’s blinkers as an opportunity to make something that would have mass appeal. There’s an irony in Jeff’s idea of 'freedom' and his interpretation of 'free markets'—freedom for himself and his ventures, but not for the workers striving to improve their lives and see themselves represented in Hollywood.

Just as AI companies are being urged to shape their narrative in Hollywood, labor must do the same—actively working to tell stories that inspire solidarity, empower workers, and advocate for a fairer society. The opportunity is there, and the audience is ready.

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