As Hollywood Jobs Dry Up, Workers Quietly Train the AI That Worries Them
Three years after the 2023 strikes spotlighted fears of artificial intelligence replacing creative talent, a surprising shift is underway. Hollywood workers train AI models on the side, taking on gigs that once seemed like the enemy. Writers, editors, and even former executives are quietly signing up to fine-tune the very technology that threatens their livelihoods. It’s a survival move born from necessity, not ideology.
The Rise of RLHF: How Hollywood Workers Train AI Behind the Scenes
This work is formally known as Reinforcement Learning from Human Feedback (RLHF). In simple terms, humans rate and correct AI outputs to make them smarter. According to The Hollywood Reporter, editor Gabe Sena turned to AI training after a stretch of unemployment. He wanted to understand the technology rather than simply fear it. Former HBO development executive Steven Woolworth had a similar motivation. He called the work a way to stay informed while job hunting proved fruitless for over a year.
Both found gigs through Mercor, a recruiting platform that pairs domain experts with AI companies needing human feedback. This trend aligns with a broader industry pattern, as Amazon also turns to AI to cut film and TV production costs through its own dedicated studio. For more on how AI is reshaping entertainment, check out our analysis of AI trends in film.
What the Work Actually Looks Like Once You’re In It
Screenwriter Ruth Fowler described a far rougher experience in her own essay for Wired. She detailed eight months and twenty contracts across five different platforms. The pay ranges from $16 per hour for entry-level annotation work up to $150 per hour for specialized writing tasks. She described abrupt project cancellations, shifting pay rates, and young, inexperienced managers overseeing workers decades into their careers.
The Emotional Toll of Training Your Replacement
Many workers report a deep sense of irony. They are paid to teach AI how to write scripts, edit footage, or analyze story structure—skills that could soon make their own roles obsolete. Yet, with film and TV jobs growing harder to find, these gigs offer a lifeline. As one anonymous worker put it, “It’s not about passion; it’s about paying the electricity bill.”
A Growing AI Industry Built on Real Legal and Ethical Tension
RLHF work has expanded rapidly regardless. AI-related job postings within the arts nearly doubled between 2025 and 2026, even as lawsuits pile up alleging worker misclassification and unstable scheduling. Even Martin Scorsese has officially joined the AI camp, a sign of how far the acceptance of these tools has spread. Critics of generative AI in Hollywood, like Breaking Bad creator Vince Gilligan, say they understand why struggling workers take these gigs despite the contradictions. For many in Hollywood right now, training the machine has become less about curiosity and more about simply making rent.
This ethical tension is unlikely to fade. As the industry contracts, more professionals may find themselves in this gray zone. To understand the broader implications, read our piece on AI ethics in entertainment.
What This Means for the Future of Hollywood
As Hollywood workers train AI, they are also reshaping their own careers. Some see it as a temporary stopgap; others view it as a new career path in tech. But the underlying reality remains stark: the entertainment industry is in flux, and workers are adapting in ways they never imagined. Whether this trend accelerates or fades depends on how quickly traditional jobs return—and whether the industry can find a sustainable balance between human creativity and machine efficiency.
