Writers Guild of America and Studios Reach Deal to End Strike

by Patrick Wilson

The Writers Guild of America (WGA) and the major Hollywood studios have reached a tentative deal on a new contract, all but ending a 146-day strike that has contributed to a shutdown of television and film production.

The agreement, which was announced on Sunday night, must still be ratified by WGA members, but it is a major breakthrough in the long-running dispute. The strike, which began on May 2, was the longest in WGA history.

The new contract includes a number of gains for writers, including:

A 5% pay increase in the first year, followed by 4% and 3.5% increases in subsequent years.
Residuals for streaming content.
A guaranteed number of on-the-week jobs for writers.
Regulations regarding artificial intelligence.
Preservation of the writers’ room.

One of the most significant provisions of the new contract is the regulations on artificial intelligence (AI). Under the agreement:

AI cannot be used to write or rewrite literary material.
AI cannot be used as source material for literary material.
MBA-covered material cannot be used to train AI.
If a WGA member uses AI to create a script, they must be credited as a writer.
If a producer uses AI to create a script, they must find a WGA writer to pay.

These provisions are designed to protect writers from having their jobs replaced by AI, and to ensure that writers are compensated for their work, even if it is done in collaboration with AI.

The agreement also includes a provision for the creation of a joint WGA-AMPTP committee to study the impact of AI on the entertainment industry and to develop recommendations for how to address it.

The WGA’s agreement on AI is significant because it is one of the first collective bargaining agreements to address the issue. It is also likely to have a ripple effect in other industries where AI is being used to automate creative work.

The end of the WGA strike is good news for everyone involved, and it will be a boon to the Hollywood industry.

** This piece was created with the help of ai.

NASA’s OSIRIS-REx Spacecraft Lands Safely with Asteroid Samples

NASA’s OSIRIS-REx spacecraft landed safely in the Utah Test and Training Range this morning, bringing with it the first asteroid samples ever returned to Earth.

The spacecraft touched down at 10:52 a.m. EDT (7:52 a.m. PDT), after a two-year journey home from asteroid Bennu. OSIRIS-REx collected the samples in October 2020, using a robotic arm to scoop up regolith, or loose surface material, from the asteroid.

The spacecraft’s sample return capsule is now being collected by a team of NASA engineers and scientists. The capsule will be transported to NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas, where it will be opened and the samples will be carefully studied.

The OSIRIS-REx mission is a major milestone in space exploration. It is the first mission to return samples from an asteroid, and the samples will provide scientists with valuable information about the early solar system and the origins of life.

The OSIRIS-REx mission is led by the University of Arizona, and it is managed by NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland. Lockheed Martin Space Systems built the spacecraft and operates it.

What the Science Team Will Do with the Samples

Once the OSIRIS-REx sample return capsule arrives at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas, it will be opened and the samples will be carefully studied by a team of scientists.

The samples will be analyzed using a variety of techniques, including microscopy, spectroscopy, and mass spectrometry. These techniques will allow scientists to identify the minerals and other compounds present in the samples, as well as their age and history.

The scientists will also be looking for evidence of organic molecules in the samples. Organic molecules are the building blocks of life, and their presence in the samples would suggest that Bennu and other asteroids could have played a role in the delivery of life to Earth.

The OSIRIS-REx samples will be studied by scientists from around the world for many years to come. They are expected to provide new insights into the early solar system, the origins of life, and the potential for asteroids to harbor resources that could be used by future explorers.

Activate News September 22nd, 2023 Ophelia, Menendez, UAW

Activate News for Friday, September 22nd, 2023

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