Creative Labor Issues for Arts Graduates: Navigating the Post-AI Landscape
Feb 25, 2026 3:00-4:15pm Eastern/noon-1:15pm Pacific
AI cannot replace human creativity and skills, nor can it serve as a co-creator.
These were foundational convictions of the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE) when they successfully advocated for the rights of creatives in Hollywood during their latest contract negotiations. Please join us as a2ru presents Jillian Arnold, president of IATSE Local 695, who was a crucial voice providing the evidence to successfully negotiate these tricky terms on behalf of 40,000 creative workers in the United States and 10,000 in Canada. You’ll hear about what’s at stake in these negotiations, and what has been done (and still needs to be done) on behalf of all creators to safeguard their artistry and livelihoods. Join a discussion of what that means for how we educate arts students and prepare them to protect their creativity in the workforce; monitor ethical issues; and create art within and beyond the higher education sector.
This session will explore several crucial questions, such as: What do our students need to know to protect their artwork and other intellectual property in the underregulated areas of media and entertainment? How assured are their livelihoods, when most companies are looking to cut costs and automate critical roles using technology? How can these companies and policy makers understand the nuances and importance of human creativity, critical thinking, and other irreplaceable skills? What are the arguments, and how can they be authentically and effectively presented? IATSE— or “The Union Behind Entertainment”—represents the below-the-line crew members in the TV, film, trade show and stage industry (besides actors, directors, producers, and writers). IATSE was responsible for future-proofing these careers during the recent proliferation of AI tools and their expanding capabilities.
Jillian Arnold will be introduced by Daragh Byrne, who will also moderate a conversation following Ms. Arnold’s presentation.
Jillian Arnold is president of Local 695, Sound, Video and Production in Hollywood. She is the first woman president to serve in its 95 year history. Jillian has also serves as the IATSE Artificial Intelligence Co-Chair. She is a freelance recording and workflow engineer for live TV Shows such as the Oscars, Emmys, VMAs, and more. Jillian cut her teeth as a camera engineer at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, where she contributed to the Mars Program and other missions.
Daragh Byrne Ph.D., M.Res., B.Sc., is the Yang and Cai Family Associate Teaching Professor and Lead, College of Fine Arts Working Group on Artificial Intelligence, Carnegie Mellon University. Byrne has a PhD in Computer Applications from Dublin City University and is an Associate Teaching Professor at Carnegie Mellon Architecture. He holds courtesy appointments in the Human Computer Interaction Institute and the School of Design. In 2025, he was selected for the Aspen Science and Technology Policy Fellowship focused on workforce impacts of video-AI. He is Technical Director of Ground Works and co-chairs the a2ru Arts & AI working group with Dr. Aaron Knochel on behalf of the a2ru network.
Registration
Registration for a2ru webinars is free for a2ru individual members and for faculty, students, and staff affiliated with a2ru institutional and departmental members. Please use your institutional email when registering at the link below.
Registration for non-members is $20; registration for non-member students is $10.