NUDC 2024

Tingkat Nasional
Post-Debate Analysis (R1-R3)
Anisya Alistasya, Kevin Kesuma, Rakyan Sekar, Revaldi
Wirabuana, Tengku Omar
Round 1
Info Slide for Round 1

Sora is an upcoming generative artificial intelligence model

developed by OpenAI, that specializes in text-to-video
generation. The model accepts textual descriptions, or prompts,
from users and then generates short video clips corresponding
to those descriptions. It is recently reported that OpenAI wants
more filmmakers to become more familiar with Sora, and has
arranged industry-wide meetings prior to Sora's release to the
public.
Motion for Round 1

This House believes that the film industry should

embrace Sora
Key Questions, Part 1
● What does the film industry currently look like?
a. Still picking up from the post-COVID crisis, with box office revenues are not as big as they were
prior to the pandemic. Producers (companies and individuals alike) are getting more cautious in
investing money in films, especially blockbuster ones.
b. Especially Hollywood, they just got out from months-long of from different unions (DGA, WGA,
SAG-AFTRA), and the use of AI was one of the biggest parts of the negotiations (and the deal)
between the unions and the industry representative.
● Who are the actors affected by this motion and what are their interests?
a. Producers, as the main investors for films
b. Directors, who are tasked to direct and determine the course of the film.
c. Employees, who range from VFX (virtual effects) to set designers, who are responsible for
making sure the settings for the films are as relevant as possible.
d. Actors, who want to make the most out of shooting in the same setting over and over again.
Key Questions, Part 2
● To what extent technology is involved in the filmmaking process, and what are its current limitations? Would Sora
address those limitations?
a. Either by (1) using green screen (VFX), (2) real-life setting, or (3) production set designs (usually in the studios).
b. The use of Sora, with the right prompts, can replace the need to use all three. However, the current capacity of
Sora is only to come up with short videos, not long-forms that are typically expected in films.
c. However, this could be sufficient to save up a lot of budgets especially in the context of (1) hypothetical/fantasy
settings and (2) shootings in real-life settings.
● What does it mean to “embrace” Sora and what key differences would it make in the status quo?
a. Likely to manifest in the form of being used to generate set designs that will be shown in some (but not all)
scenes.
b. VFX designers might still be needed, especially for motion capture purposes (where the actors wear those
green screen costume); but not for still images or scenes without actors (which could be significant depending
on the project). Same thing applies to set designers.
c. VFX and set designers are likely to be trained to generate effective prompts as it can still be considered as part
of their jobs. However, one could also argue that personnel from different departments (including the director
themself) might be the one doing prompt-generation instead.
Key Metrics and Weighing
- Whether embracing Sora is within the interest of the film industry
- Economic perspective: cost-savings, revenue generation, and profits
- Some films do not aspire to be “blockbusters”, instead they seek viewers’ satisfaction
and happiness which can be measured through viewers’ reviews
- Recognition by the players in the industry, such as critics or even awards
- Whether it will significantly affect the employment landscape within the industry
- Even if it does affect, is it inherently harmful?
Case for Gov.
1. Efficiency
a. Embracing Sora could save up a lot of budget, especially in an era where film producers are getting more cautious
in investing their money. Films that rely on massive VFX and set designs absorb millions of USD minimum.
2. Maximizing Creativity and Technological Input
a. VFX are often bound by the limits of human creativity at the time of creation. With one single prompt, filmmakers
may generate settings and scenes than multiple designers can do.
3. Removing Barriers and Biases
a. The creative input process tend to be clouded with the biases of the directors and the designers. The use of Sora
may remove such biases. Though one could argue that it depends on the prompts; but again, because Sora is still a
form of generative AI, it can learn to consolidate and incorporate different user inputs.
4. Early Integration Helps the Industry
a. It is stipulated that OpenAI was the one extending their arms first to discuss about Sora’s application. It is unlikely to
be Sora suddenly replacing everyone in the industry, but instead there’d be room for negotiations and addressing
concerns that OpenAI is likely to compromise with.
5. Maximizing Production Value and Viewer Satisfaction
a. It can generate videos based on both real-life and even hypothetical settings. This brings out the most in the
production process, which in turn can improve the way people enjoy cinema. This can easily cater to different
ambitions and demands for set designs (majestic settings, ambitious VFX, ultra-realistic fantasy settings, etc.)
Case for Opp.
1. Potential Industry Shutdown
a. Last year, Hollywood was crippled by the fact that three unions went on strike (DGA, WGA, SAG-AFTRA), and one of
the biggest concerns was the use of AI in the industry. Even if Sora might not replace that many people, the
sentiment might lead to future shutdowns.
2. Employment Concerns
a. The film industry is after all profit-seeking. Employees often absorb major costs as well, so it’s likely they’d
outsource the prompt-generation process, or even if they use in-house, likely to just train “everyone” and might
affect how VFX and set designers are sought after in the market.
3. “Race to the Bottom” Argument
a. Companies are likely to compete in the form of who can utilize the technology better. Think of production
companies competing over whose use of green screen was the best during the advent of green screen. It was all
just explosions and trippy settings (yes Michael Bay, this is directed towards you).
4. Generic Generation
a. Well just like any other generative AI, it may suffer from learning the most mainstream data and inputs, which is not
necessarily a tension with argument #3, but just a different scenario: where it becomes a stalemate and portent of
the dying creativity in the industry.
5. Human Touch in Set/VFX Designs Are Important
a. VFX and set designers don’t just go boom; they have to understand the context of the settings (by working closely
with the screenwriters, directors, and actors). Sora might dilute the meaning of generating meaningful scenes.
Round 2
Motion for Round 2

This House would prohibit publications (expert

reports, infographics, journals and articles, etc.)
with the purpose of making economic predictions
Key Questions (1)
● What do these publications look like?
○ Aside from the examples provided, they can range from basic analysis like
trend analysis (based on historical data), to expert opinions on different
aspects that might affect the economy (e.g. technological advancement,
certain crises like wars and geopolitical tensions, rise of certain industry or
job type).
● Who publish and spread them?
○ Often published by think tanks, research centers, or even individual
experts.
○ However, they can be spread through the use of traditional media (e.g.
news portals, news websites, news channels) or even modern ones (e.g.
social media influencers spreading the information)
Key Questions (2)
● What does it mean to “make economic predictions”? Who are the target audience?
○ It aims to show what could possibly happen in the next few months or years
based on either historical data or existing phenomena. The goal is mostly to
inform investors (so they know where to put in or pull their money from),
governments (as a supporting backbone of their monetary and fiscal policies),
companies (whether to expand or downsize), financial institutions (especially
banks, so they know the business strategy regarding providing loans), or even
society in general (so they know whether to spend, invest, or save more).
● What are the state’s interests in this matter? Is it necessary to prohibit them?
○ Due to the expansive effects of these predictions, states might have interests
to regulate the publications especially if they directly affect the core aspects of
economy (e.g. people’s use of their own money, companies’ behaviors)
Key Metrics and Weighing

- Whether the publications are harmful to the point the government

should prohibit them
- What are the alternatives and are they better or worse?
- How will it affect the economy in both the macro and micro levels?
Case for Gov. (1)
1. May Encourage Risky Behaviors and Speculative Investments
a. Remember even when predictions encouraged people to invest in
cryptocurrencies? Yeah that’s right.
2. Impact on Burgeoning Industries
a. In 2022, many predictions said that the world will be hit by a recession
that is equivalent to the 2008 financial crisis… but it never happened.
However in response to the predictions, burgeoning industries were
becoming sluggish because of investors’ confidence (or lack thereof),
resulting in mass layoffs and business downsizing.
Case for Gov. (2)
3. Self-Fulfilling Prophecy
a. Negative predictions (which are likely to spread over positive ones) are likely
to affect people’s behaviors in spending, investing, and saving. Because
people are worried, they spend less and it affects the way businesses perceive
consumers’ ability to spend.
4. Media Bias and Politicization
a. Predictions tend to be used by politicians to fear-monger, on top of being
sensationalized by media organizations. Not to mention that your typical
“finance bros” influencers and their know-it-all mentality can fuel that fear.
5. State’s Interests and the Comparatives
a. Well this is the typical argument where teams can argue that knowing the
bad impacts, states have no other options than prohibit the publications.
Regulating is just another form of politicizing and censorship so this might
not work.
Case for Opp. (1)
1. Important Element for Decision-Making
a. Not just for investors (i.e. whether to invest or pull out), but also even for the
middle class individuals, who comprise the majority of retail investors and job
seekers (in choosing industries and companies to work for).
2. Validity of the Information
a. The data that backs up the publication is well-researched and interpreted
(therefore not unfounded and not necessarily to fear-monger but rather to
warn), which means the state can benefit from it through wise monetary and
fiscal policies. Premature or reactionary policies that result in crises should be
blamed to the decision makers instead of the publishers.
3. Setting Precedence
a. May lead to slippery slope in terms of what other publications the state can
also ban/prohibit, especially well-researched information that may have merits.
Case for Opp. (2)
4. Industry’s Reactions
a. The information is often useful for industry players to understand about the
problems that loom over them, which can result in more judicious decision-making.
Downsizing and layoffs are not inherent harms, especially compared to ignorance
and oblivion towards the potential danger. No harm in being safe. If it’s proven to be
wrong, then the industry can pick itself up.
5. Worse Alternatives
a. The prohibition will not stop modern influencers from sharing their thoughts.
Potentially even more dangerous and misleading. People will keep talking about
the economy and the market, so even if there are no hearsay things from
influencers, people may also spread rumors and fearful narratives through rumpi
tetangga or even WhatsApp groups.
Round 3
Info Slide for Round 3

Beyonce's Renaissance Tour, the release of "Barbie"

movie, and Taylor Swift's Eras Tour happened during
the Summer of 2023; known as "Summer of Women".
"Summer of Women" sparked a significant discourse
celebrating the extreme success and popularity of
major events led by powerful women from societal,
cultural, and economic aspects.
Motion for Round 3

As the feminist movement, This House opposes

the glorification of "Summer of Women"
Setup and framing (1)

1. What does the glorification look like?

Discourses that celebrate the massive profits and hypes generated
from Beyonce’s Tour, Taylor Swift’s Tour, and Barbie Movie as a symbol
of women empowerment and feminists’ success.
Media outlets’ coverage on the events’ global impacts, attributing them
to the positive economic power of women, using taglines such as
“women saved the economy”.
Setup and framing (2)

2. What is the debate about?

Does this event’s glorification benefit the agendas that feminists ought
to pursue/prioritize?
Were this event’s cultural and economic significance generated
through means that align with feminists’ morales and principles?
3. What is the debate not about?
Any alternative world/model/counterproposal
3rd party perspective
 Case for Gov. (1)
1. The nature of this celebration is exclusionary.
“Summer of Women” highlights the contribution ($ billion) that is only possible for
incredibly privileged women artists, i.e. exceptionally talented and rich.
2. Overshadowing other gender issues (e.g. gender pay gap), creating somewhat
an illusion that women empowerment has reached a success.
3. The revenues amassed were results of entertainment industries capitalizing
on sexism:
- women’s objectification,
- the perception that a woman’s fulfillment mainly comes from loving a man,
- Barbie’s profits were amassed from idealization of specific woman’s physical
features
 Case for Gov. (2)
4. Upholding these artists as women empowerment icons is unideal.
- Taylor Swift’s private jet use and white feminism
- Beyonce’s on female empowerment is limited to successful, wealthy women
- Barbie, as portrayed by Margot Robbie, has historically promoted unrealistic
beauty standards
5. This sets unrealistic expectations on what women should be or do in order to
be deemed successful
The glorification itself was targeted to impacts that are extraordinarily massive (all
reach billion of $ and created major cultural reset), indirectly setting a bar of
appreciation that is extremely high for female artists and women in general.
 Case for Opp.
1. The most effective methods to convey women empowerment messages
Arts can convey emotions and deliver meanings that can touch many women’s
feelings and experiences. E.g. Billie Eilish - What Was I Made For perfectly
encapsulates the frustration of women in defining their roles and purposes in
the midst of patriarchy.
2. Increased participation
As “Summer of Women” is a global phenomenon, many women can share their
experiences and individual successes by jumping into the trend. E.g. “this
barbie is launching rockets for NASA”.
3. Feminists can co-opt their stories to show that women can make
monumental impacts when given the opportunities
 Case for Opp.
4. Women are reclaiming their agency to use their femininity to achieve success
The entertainment industry has historically exploited female artists. These
women finally reclaimed their womanhood, write the arts using their own
narratives, and gained tons of success from it.
5. Inspiration for younger girls
Even if most girls won’t probably reached similar level of success, the
precedence created by “Summer of Women” gives them a positive outlook to
thrive on their work and education.