As a new, independent animator (so far), I can most definitely say that a LOT of my hope in regard to becoming a career animator has been dashed. Impeccably timed to my sort of luck, A.I. really started to grow rapidly at the same time in which I was learning multiple disciplines 2D animation, storyboarding, compositing, etc. I was, and am still INCDERDIBLY nervous about my future. I am also outside of my early days (not in my 20's anymore) and only had taken and subsequently completed my courses over the past 3 or so years. I'm REALLY hoping that I can at least get some sort of traction on social media with what I am doing so I can staff my studio. Fingers crossed, right?
I'm so sorry. It is hugely nerve-wracking. It sounds like you at least have a lot of knowledge in these various disciplines which can only help. Good luck with staffing your studio.
Some important missing context here is that this survey was solely polling the opinion of 300 C-Suite leaders, senior executives and middle managers across six entertainment sectors. None of these people have much meaningful insight to offer in the spaces of AI *or* animation.
Well, I do think they have meaningful insights to offer, seeing as they are the ones making strategic decisions and running the operations of the businesses. they can decide whether or not ton utilise AI, and how. Yes it is a relatively small sample pool , I won't argue that. But it was co-commissioned by the Concept Art Association, the Animation Guild, the Human Artistry Campaign and the National Cartoonist Society Foundation. They wouldn't have wasted their time or money if it wasn't relevant and providing valuable insights.
Sorry Ben, we actually did TWO surveys, it might be confusing. I am on the AI council for the Animation Guild and was part of commissioning these surveys. Our first one in partnership with CAA was surveying companies, there was a second survey asking our membership their experiences and opinions. You will have to weed out Which one Robyn is pulling from because she does not make it clear in the video.
@@CraigElliottGallery Your last sentence seems a little unecessarily antagonsitic. Please do link to the other survey you mention. I did a lot of research for this video and never came across the one you're referring to by the membership themselves. I wasn't even aware that I needed to make a distinction between two surveys. Since you are on the AI Council for the Animation guild, perhaps you could arrange for the second survey to be more widely distributed online and on social media so that more people could see it, because at the moment the only one I could find was the other one. Even now, I searched for it specifically and couldn't find it.
Its time the rise of adult animated films. Well with the rise of anime and the success of Arcane. I feel there is a need for more mature and complex animation meida aimed at an older audience. I would love see season two of Scavenger Reign as a film. It also does not help when you have managers disregarding and discarding artists for Ai. To them its just all Ai.
I agree that we need more adult animated content. That would be awesome. I think managers might try to replace artists with AI but they also might then see that it doesn't give the same success as human creators because in a lot of cases, it just won't be as good, and that'll show in the revenue
Just to clarify Arcane was not successful for Netflix. The cost for both seasons was $250 million. The viewers didn't come close to covering that amount. Its responsible for Netflix moving away from animation.
Yes more adult themed and more things from our generation that made us love animation in the first place. Yeah ai can do regular routine things but can never add that human touch of creativity and feeling through the art. I say I feel like the opposite is happening. Instead of it dying, it’s coming back to life cause now it’s some competition 🤷🏾♂️
Thanks Brian! It never hurts to have different perspectives or generally just more info out there, especially with such an important discussion, so I think you should still go ahead!
As an aspiring animator, I believe a full-length feature film created entirely by AI needs to happen. This would give studios that favor AI a chance to see just how lifeless the end product might feel. While it could come close, much like the uncanny valley, we’d still sense that something is off. I fully support AI as a tool-it’s essential to adapt and grow with new technology. However, the idea of AI completely taking over creative roles doesn’t seem likely to me. As always great video and thank you for adding to the AI/Art industry conversation Robyn!
Yeah, at the moment it would be really weird. It's still very limited, especially with moving shots, and of course humans just looking very strange. Thanks!
Thank u for being so informative!!! Despite the thoughts i have with ai, my opinion probably wouldnt matter to my employers. If they want me to use ai, it is what it is, im just worried moreso about how the industry will utilize outsourcing. Some of my working friends say it'll backfire, others fear itll spell the end for LA's central hub of animation. Aside from what u mentioned in the video, what do u think?
You're welcome! There are so many unknowns here. I think a sort of median point will be settled on. I don't think it will go wholly one way or the other. The companies will probably try to outsource as much as possible, and so of it will backfire and some parts will be successful. They'll realize that outsourcing certain parts of the pipeline will work out while some won't. It'll be trial and error. I really don't think they can just outsource everything, especially on the high quality stuff. Low quality animation, sure. But anyone would be able to take one look at it and know that it's not high quality, and that's already happening with certain studios and shows
I read all the comments below and it’s imposible to not feel afraid. I’m animator with my first year in the industry an it has been a bit disaster. Yes I have been worked on a indie shot during 7 months. But after that, everything it was scary. Only just a freelance role is posible and pass throw a project to a project. I’m 25 and I feel very tired to try a career and maybe it’s time to move on another skill another Job. Maybe AI Job or something else.
I do think most people are afraid. It's terrible you've had such struggles and I hope things will pick up for you. With an animation career, stability was never really widely experienced, and it's worse now for sure.
When I think about a career switch or even a side hustle, the most important factor has become to not support corporate greed that puts profits over people. It’s hard to find a job like that isn’t entirely about infinite economic growth despite living in a world where our financial stability seems like a myth.. but I have been thinking about what else I could do with my life if not art.. that maybe makes the world a little better instead of worse.. you know? In any case- Good luck to us all out there and may the artists emerge victorious in all of this.
We've been experimenting with various GenAI platforms where I work, just to see where the technology is at and how we can use it to benefit ourselves, and we have tested out several different storyboarding platforms. They're extremely limited and incapable of generating a lot of the inputs, but it is something that is being worked on. So I know that is not good news that they are already actively working on generated storyboards BUT I don't think it will measure up to professionally done storyboards where an artists can literally create anything anyone can dream of. It'll be like those online "animation makers" , where it is very obvious that they are low quality and not professionally done
I have been seeing MANY videos tackling the rise of AI in the digital art and animation industry. I did my research and I claim that human storytellers in this industry are going to survive in their role. Thank you for this video to add to my own theorycrafting about what is going to happen to upcoming artists and animators. 10+ years of hobbyist animation and I'm now pursuing Digital Art and Animation to heed my dream to becoming a lead animator through the levels, then work to be an animation director. It's doable, but challenged by AI in several aspects you mentioned with modeling.
Love it when people do their own research, and that you're still optimistic. The industry really needs people who will remain realistic yet positive, and keep pushing towards their goals as animators, even if it means pivoting a little.
Great video, very informative. I actually got an animation-adjacent position last year, which is paying pretty darn well atm. Should I still seek a second form of income? I can't really decide what that would be, but I wanted to ask you and the other commenters.
Thank you! I do think it depends on what the position is. Some are more at risk than others. But maybe you could just think about a backup plan in the meantime.
I was laid off from video editing back in 2023. Since then, I’ve been looking for another job while pursuing a career as a full-fledged animator. Rotten timing…
"you need to adapt" to "churn out more content" hahaha. I can see the decline of the Us animation based animation from a mile away, in a cannibalistic eat or be eaten mentality that we teh artists unfortunately have. When everyone's idea can be outsourced and simplified in production, goodbay, good luck having anything you do actually matter.
"AI Art" is Overhyped. It's confined to it's database and can't create anything new. It's an imitation machine and nothing more. If the database is not there it's not spitting it out. If a dragon never existed AI wouldn't make it. Hollywood Studios are falling apart. Take a good look at Disney's stocks. Animators will work for Indie Studios or make their own. We're living through a bad time but I still think things will get better. The thing is we need to fight for a better future!
Thank you for the video. While might be true that AI will create new jobs we are talking about animation and jobs in that department. It doesn't do a lot for you as an animator if programmers or let's call them AI people are employed.
Yeah, that's why I was talking about animation and animation jobs. The fact is that people are getting employed to create things with Generative AI, whether we like it or not. If we want to remain in the industry, it's up to us to find a way to still be relevant.
FYI the survey you are referring to is NOT linked to, and this is important since we conducted TWO surveys, one of company managers and execs, and one of the animation guild union workers. Please clarify which survey you are referring to because the numbers represent very different groups of people. The workers survey is a very accurate representation of what is actually happening, the one with the companies (the one that is a joint effort) is a representation only of what these managers imagined would happen. The managers are constantly marketed to by AI companies because these companies want to convince them that their product will save money to sell the product. FYI I am on the AI council of the Animation Guild Union and was involve in commissioning both of these surveys.
Please link to the other one that you are referring to, the one by the workers. In my research for this video , I didn't come across any such report, and I did do pretty extensive research. I searched again for the report you mention after reading this comment and I still can't find it. I'm always happy to learn more, so please do provide a link. Thanks!
@@RobynO_O In our report there is reference and numbers on page 3: animationguild.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/2024-TAG-GenAI-Report.pdf These numbers show what people are experiencing and want right now from the worker's point of view.
@@RobynO_O I tried posting the link but it looks like links aren't allowed in comments, the report that includes the worker survey data is on page three of a document called "CRITICAL CROSSROADS The Impact of Generative AI and the Importance of Protecting the Animation Workforce" on our animation guild website. You should be able to find it there.
It’s great that it’s become so popular ! It does still very often have abysmal working conditions for the animators though and no unions AFAIK, which is something that needs to be remedied
Well I think AI will be heavily implemented in 3D Modelling Tools/Software In future releases, Software like 3D Maya, 3ds Max (any other Autodesk Software), Cinema 4D, Blender or any other 3d animation software etc, where AI will do most of the tasks for the user, this will make life easier for the user using 3d animation software and less time consuming doing tasks as AI will do the job. Companies/Industries will rely more AI in the future and onwards than manual input, human input in the future will survive, not everybody is a big fan of AI, even AI can make mistakes, AI isn't 100% perfect in every industry and it won't work well in every industry no matter how advance AI becomes in the future
But you are forgetting to calculate the part where they will pay humans below minimum wage to fix the bad stuff made by AI and there won’t be any UBI to compensate and the AI people won’t get paid very well either since the skill barrier to become one is very low.. and we will have even higher inequality and poverty, with more garbage content to consume.
![I.N "HALLUCINATION" | [Stray Kids : SKZ-PLAYER]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/n5B5q1Hwt_U/mqdefault.jpg)
As a new, independent animator (so far), I can most definitely say that a LOT of my hope in regard to becoming a career animator has been dashed. Impeccably timed to my sort of luck, A.I. really started to grow rapidly at the same time in which I was learning multiple disciplines 2D animation, storyboarding, compositing, etc. I was, and am still INCDERDIBLY nervous about my future. I am also outside of my early days (not in my 20's anymore) and only had taken and subsequently completed my courses over the past 3 or so years. I'm REALLY hoping that I can at least get some sort of traction on social media with what I am doing so I can staff my studio. Fingers crossed, right?
I'm so sorry. It is hugely nerve-wracking. It sounds like you at least have a lot of knowledge in these various disciplines which can only help. Good luck with staffing your studio.
@@RobynO_O Thank you so much!
Some important missing context here is that this survey was solely polling the opinion of 300 C-Suite leaders, senior executives and middle managers across six entertainment sectors. None of these people have much meaningful insight to offer in the spaces of AI *or* animation.
Well, I do think they have meaningful insights to offer, seeing as they are the ones making strategic decisions and running the operations of the businesses. they can decide whether or not ton utilise AI, and how. Yes it is a relatively small sample pool , I won't argue that. But it was co-commissioned by the Concept Art Association, the Animation Guild, the Human Artistry Campaign and the National Cartoonist Society Foundation. They wouldn't have wasted their time or money if it wasn't relevant and providing valuable insights.
Sorry Ben, we actually did TWO surveys, it might be confusing. I am on the AI council for the Animation Guild and was part of commissioning these surveys. Our first one in partnership with CAA was surveying companies, there was a second survey asking our membership their experiences and opinions. You will have to weed out Which one Robyn is pulling from because she does not make it clear in the video.
So wheres the link bro?@CraigElliottGallery
@@CraigElliottGallery Your last sentence seems a little unecessarily antagonsitic. Please do link to the other survey you mention. I did a lot of research for this video and never came across the one you're referring to by the membership themselves. I wasn't even aware that I needed to make a distinction between two surveys. Since you are on the AI Council for the Animation guild, perhaps you could arrange for the second survey to be more widely distributed online and on social media so that more people could see it, because at the moment the only one I could find was the other one. Even now, I searched for it specifically and couldn't find it.
@@CraigElliottGallery Ah OK, that's good to know - the misinterpretation is probably more my fault, but thank you for clarifying.
Its time the rise of adult animated films. Well with the rise of anime and the success of Arcane. I feel there is a need for more mature and complex animation meida aimed at an older audience. I would love see season two of Scavenger Reign as a film.
It also does not help when you have managers disregarding and discarding artists for Ai. To them its just all Ai.
I agree that we need more adult animated content. That would be awesome. I think managers might try to replace artists with AI but they also might then see that it doesn't give the same success as human creators because in a lot of cases, it just won't be as good, and that'll show in the revenue
Just to clarify Arcane was not successful for Netflix. The cost for both seasons was $250 million. The viewers didn't come close to covering that amount. Its responsible for Netflix moving away from animation.
Yes more adult themed and more things from our generation that made us love animation in the first place. Yeah ai can do regular routine things but can never add that human touch of creativity and feeling through the art. I say I feel like the opposite is happening. Instead of it dying, it’s coming back to life cause now it’s some competition 🤷🏾♂️
Fantastic video Robyn! Was thinking of making a video on this, but now I don't have to haha
Thanks Brian! It never hurts to have different perspectives or generally just more info out there, especially with such an important discussion, so I think you should still go ahead!
As an aspiring animator, I believe a full-length feature film created entirely by AI needs to happen. This would give studios that favor AI a chance to see just how lifeless the end product might feel. While it could come close, much like the uncanny valley, we’d still sense that something is off. I fully support AI as a tool-it’s essential to adapt and grow with new technology. However, the idea of AI completely taking over creative roles doesn’t seem likely to me. As always great video and thank you for adding to the AI/Art industry conversation Robyn!
Yeah, at the moment it would be really weird. It's still very limited, especially with moving shots, and of course humans just looking very strange. Thanks!
Ai is not a tool, it is simply theft, that corporations want to use to replace all of us.
Watching as AI slowly comes for each and every of my monetizable passions, one by one ☺
🙁
Thank u for being so informative!!! Despite the thoughts i have with ai, my opinion probably wouldnt matter to my employers. If they want me to use ai, it is what it is, im just worried moreso about how the industry will utilize outsourcing. Some of my working friends say it'll backfire, others fear itll spell the end for LA's central hub of animation. Aside from what u mentioned in the video, what do u think?
You're welcome! There are so many unknowns here. I think a sort of median point will be settled on. I don't think it will go wholly one way or the other. The companies will probably try to outsource as much as possible, and so of it will backfire and some parts will be successful. They'll realize that outsourcing certain parts of the pipeline will work out while some won't. It'll be trial and error. I really don't think they can just outsource everything, especially on the high quality stuff. Low quality animation, sure. But anyone would be able to take one look at it and know that it's not high quality, and that's already happening with certain studios and shows
I read all the comments below and it’s imposible to not feel afraid. I’m animator with my first year in the industry an it has been a bit disaster. Yes I have been worked on a indie shot during 7 months. But after that, everything it was scary. Only just a freelance role is posible and pass throw a project to a project. I’m 25 and I feel very tired to try a career and maybe it’s time to move on another skill another Job. Maybe AI Job or something else.
I do think most people are afraid. It's terrible you've had such struggles and I hope things will pick up for you. With an animation career, stability was never really widely experienced, and it's worse now for sure.
Thanks Robyn. Real champ. Good data in the comment section.
Thanks Hubert!
Adapt and overcome! We will survive we have no choice!
👌👆
I sacrificed a high paying corporate job to pursue a career in animation only to get laid off. Sigh....
That's absolutely awful. I'm so sorry, I wish we could have more stability in this career
When I think about a career switch or even a side hustle, the most important factor has become to not support corporate greed that puts profits over people. It’s hard to find a job like that isn’t entirely about infinite economic growth despite living in a world where our financial stability seems like a myth.. but I have been thinking about what else I could do with my life if not art.. that maybe makes the world a little better instead of worse.. you know? In any case- Good luck to us all out there and may the artists emerge victorious in all of this.
I hear you. it's great that there are people out there that still want to make the world a better place.
What do you think of storyboard roles and how will storyboard artists be affected?
We've been experimenting with various GenAI platforms where I work, just to see where the technology is at and how we can use it to benefit ourselves, and we have tested out several different storyboarding platforms. They're extremely limited and incapable of generating a lot of the inputs, but it is something that is being worked on. So I know that is not good news that they are already actively working on generated storyboards BUT I don't think it will measure up to professionally done storyboards where an artists can literally create anything anyone can dream of. It'll be like those online "animation makers" , where it is very obvious that they are low quality and not professionally done
@@RobynO_O Good to know, because storyboarding is my favorite job, and I've been hoping to get one someday.
I have been seeing MANY videos tackling the rise of AI in the digital art and animation industry. I did my research and I claim that human storytellers in this industry are going to survive in their role. Thank you for this video to add to my own theorycrafting about what is going to happen to upcoming artists and animators.
10+ years of hobbyist animation and I'm now pursuing Digital Art and Animation to heed my dream to becoming a lead animator through the levels, then work to be an animation director. It's doable, but challenged by AI in several aspects you mentioned with modeling.
Love it when people do their own research, and that you're still optimistic. The industry really needs people who will remain realistic yet positive, and keep pushing towards their goals as animators, even if it means pivoting a little.
Great video, very informative. I actually got an animation-adjacent position last year, which is paying pretty darn well atm. Should I still seek a second form of income? I can't really decide what that would be, but I wanted to ask you and the other commenters.
Thank you! I do think it depends on what the position is. Some are more at risk than others. But maybe you could just think about a backup plan in the meantime.
I was laid off from video editing back in 2023. Since then, I’ve been looking for another job while pursuing a career as a full-fledged animator. Rotten timing…
that is awful timing, I'm really sorry. It's a tough industry with little stability
"you need to adapt" to "churn out more content" hahaha. I can see the decline of the Us animation based animation from a mile away, in a cannibalistic eat or be eaten mentality that we teh artists unfortunately have. When everyone's idea can be outsourced and simplified in production, goodbay, good luck having anything you do actually matter.
"AI Art" is Overhyped. It's confined to it's database and can't create anything new. It's an imitation machine and nothing more. If the database is not there it's not spitting it out. If a dragon never existed AI wouldn't make it. Hollywood Studios are falling apart. Take a good look at Disney's stocks. Animators will work for Indie Studios or make their own. We're living through a bad time but I still think things will get better. The thing is we need to fight for a better future!
absolutely !
Thank you for the video. While might be true that AI will create new jobs we are talking about animation and jobs in that department. It doesn't do a lot for you as an animator if programmers or let's call them AI people are employed.
Yeah, that's why I was talking about animation and animation jobs. The fact is that people are getting employed to create things with Generative AI, whether we like it or not. If we want to remain in the industry, it's up to us to find a way to still be relevant.
Many animated movies from last years were bit disappointing so that might have affected the industry
maybe, but like I showed in the beginning of the video, animated movies did very well in the box office
It's been a while!
I know 🥲
FYI the survey you are referring to is NOT linked to, and this is important since we conducted TWO surveys, one of company managers and execs, and one of the animation guild union workers. Please clarify which survey you are referring to because the numbers represent very different groups of people. The workers survey is a very accurate representation of what is actually happening, the one with the companies (the one that is a joint effort) is a representation only of what these managers imagined would happen. The managers are constantly marketed to by AI companies because these companies want to convince them that their product will save money to sell the product. FYI I am on the AI council of the Animation Guild Union and was involve in commissioning both of these surveys.
Please link to the other one that you are referring to, the one by the workers. In my research for this video , I didn't come across any such report, and I did do pretty extensive research. I searched again for the report you mention after reading this comment and I still can't find it. I'm always happy to learn more, so please do provide a link. Thanks!
@@RobynO_O In our report there is reference and numbers on page 3:
animationguild.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/2024-TAG-GenAI-Report.pdf
These numbers show what people are experiencing and want right now from the worker's point of view.
@@RobynO_O
I tried posting the link but it looks like links aren't allowed in comments, the report that includes the worker survey data is on page three of a document called "CRITICAL CROSSROADS
The Impact of Generative AI and the Importance of Protecting
the Animation Workforce" on our animation guild website. You should be able to find it there.
Anime is also animation and that pumped in 2024
It’s great that it’s become so popular ! It does still very often have abysmal working conditions for the animators though and no unions AFAIK, which is something that needs to be remedied
Wish u made this video 3-4 years ago
sorry
Ai ai ai Haibo
🤣
Well I think AI will be heavily implemented in 3D Modelling Tools/Software In future releases, Software like 3D Maya, 3ds Max (any other Autodesk Software), Cinema 4D, Blender or any other 3d animation software etc, where AI will do most of the tasks for the user, this will make life easier for the user using 3d animation software and less time consuming doing tasks as AI will do the job. Companies/Industries will rely more AI in the future and onwards than manual input, human input in the future will survive, not everybody is a big fan of AI, even AI can make mistakes, AI isn't 100% perfect in every industry and it won't work well in every industry no matter how advance AI becomes in the future
yes, it won't work for every application
But you are forgetting to calculate the part where they will pay humans below minimum wage to fix the bad stuff made by AI and there won’t be any UBI to compensate and the AI people won’t get paid very well either since the skill barrier to become one is very low.. and we will have even higher inequality and poverty, with more garbage content to consume.