Last month, I flew to D.C. with Academy staff to meet with federal lawmakers. Our goal was to position the Television Academy as a key partner to Washington on policymaking that impacts our members' lives and livelihoods. As the L.A. Times' Meg James put it, this was the Academy's "first major foray into lobbying," but it's a natural extension of the advocacy work I've been committed to since my days chairing the Television Academy Foundation.
One of my key priorities as chair of the Academy is that we have a strong presence in the public sphere, especially because the health of our entertainment industry is inextricably linked to the health of our nation and our states. TV, in particular, is a job multiplier, one that also boosts local economies through heavy spending whenever a production comes to town. In addition, now more than ever, media that reaches into households plays an important role in helping people make sense of their world and inspiring them to explore the heights of possibility.
Our commitment to innovation extends to our approach to cutting-edge technology such as artificial intelligence. As the federal government invests in AI infrastructure, our focus is on preparing our professionals so that they stay ahead of the curve, and we will continue to offer programs that enable our members to upskill and thrive. During our meetings with legislators from both sides of the aisle — including Sen. Alex Padilla and Reps. Laura Friedman and Joaquin Castro, as well as staff members of Sens. Todd Young and Mike Rounds and Rep. Jay Obernolte — we urged Congress to invest in technologies that will accelerate efficiency in TV production and distribution, including 6G+ networks, semiconductors, quantum computing and machine learning. At the same time, we advocated for our members, who are the lifeblood of our industry, and the legislation that protects them — ensuring they are properly credited, compensated and have the right to opt in to the use of their intellectual property in generative platforms, with full transparency about how and where it is used.
We know that AI is here to stay. It will surely transform our industry, but it has the potential to do so in a way that tremendously enhances our productivity — from creating production schedules in seconds to scanning scripts to estimate shooting costs in a matter of minutes. Through it all, we will always prioritize our members' ability to tell the stories they want, by providing them with the best resources — human and technological — available.
One of the most memorable slogans I saw during the Writers Guild strike perfectly captures why I am personally so optimistic about an AI-inclusive future: "ChatGPT doesn't have childhood trauma." I wholeheartedly believe in the indomitable, unique nature of the human experience. AI will never replace our creatives — while AI tools might be able to generate a passable script, they cannot create the transcendent shows that make our medium so vital, so memorable and so beloved. Our storytellers' creativity will always remain the engine of our industry, and our stories the heart of the national imagination. Together, we will continue to adapt, innovate and build a stronger foundation for the future of television.
