The International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE) has appointed Jillian Arnold as the union’s first-ever Labor & Technology Intelligence Officer, a new role focused on understanding emerging technologies and their impact on the crafts, jobs, and working conditions of entertainment workers in the United States and Canada.
“Jillian has been a leader on artificial intelligence and its impact on the labor movement,” said IATSE International President Matthew D. Loeb. “In this new role, she’ll be a resource and a voice representing members on both sides of the border as we navigate public policy and workplace challenges relating to the development and implementation of these new tools.”
IATSE Director of Canadian Affairs John M. Lewis added: “Companies that employ members on both sides of the border may choose to deploy certain AI technologies in different jurisdictions but not in others. With the creation of this new role, members in Canada and United States will have the benefit of an expert voice who can help ensure their interests are protected at the bargaining table.”
Arnold brings a unique combination of experience in organized labor, entertainment production, engineering, and advanced technology to the position. She previously served as Chair of the IATSE Artificial Intelligence Sub-Committee during the Union’s 2024 negotiations with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP), helping IATSE examine the implications of artificial intelligence for its members and the industries in which they work.
In 2020, she became the first woman and the first video engineer elected president of IATSE Local 695 in the union’s 90-year history. In that role, she represented production sound, video, and projection workers in the Hollywood jurisdiction. She was elected to a second term in 2023. Read Arnold’s full bio here.
As Labor & Technology Intelligence Officer, Arnold will continue working at the intersection of labor and technological change, helping bridge the gap between the increasing role of technology in the workplace and IATSE’s commitment to ensuring that motion pictures, television, stagecraft, trade shows, and broadcast productions remain authentically made for humans, by humans.
“Technology has been a defining part of my entire career,” said Arnold. “I’ve seen firsthand how technological innovation can expand what workers are capable of achieving. I’ve also seen why workers need a meaningful voice in determining how technologies are developed and integrated into the workplace.
“I’m excited to bring those experiences together in this new role and help ensure that technological progress strengthens our crafts and the people who perform them.”
