We’re living through what labor organizers are calling “Hot Labor Summer.” Workers are striking on multiple fronts across multiple industries, from food service to shipping to, of course, entertainment—where writers and performers represented by the Writers Guild and SAG-AFTRA have taken to the streets to fight for better compensation in the age of streaming, limitations on artificial intelligence in Hollywood, and dozens of other totally reasonable things. Here in Los Angeles, where I live and work, it feels like the white-hot center of the labor storm. It’s the first time since 1960 that these Hollywood unions have gone on strike simultaneously: When people who need work collectively agree to stop working, you know it’s a big fucking deal. 

I’m familiar with the particular and often maddening rhythms of Hollywood. I’ve pitched and piloted shows, worked for union productions, and have even benefitted from wonderful union healthcare. While my current show is not directly affected by the work stoppage (my PBS series, America Outdoors, is covered by a different contract than the one that just expired), I’m undoubtedly biased toward the side of labor and creators; I have skin in this game. 

I also have a long history of creating with, benefiting from, and criticizing technology—which has been especially relevant in the context of this round of strikes, when both unions have cited the potential threat of artificial intelligence as a key point to be negotiated. Despite the ongoing sense of gridlock, I believe this dual strike in Hollywood represents one of our greatest opportunities yet to contend with the aggressive encroachment of technology on our lives and livelihoods. It’s fitting that it’s Hollywood creatives who are dramatically holding this particular line.