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Hollywood creatives urge government to defend copyright laws against AI

BBG News

More than 400 Hollywood creatives, including director Guillermo del Toro and actors Cynthia Erivo and Joseph Gordon-Levitt, are urging the U.S. government to uphold existing copyright protections against artificial intelligence.

In a letter sent to the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy last week, they made it clear that they are strongly convinced that America’s dominance in artificial intelligence should not undermine our vital creative industries.

“There is no reason to weaken or eliminate the copyright protections that have helped America flourish,” the letter said. “Not when AI companies can use our copyrighted material by simply doing what the law requires: negotiating appropriate licenses with copyright holders — just as every other industry does.”

The message was sent in response to the Trump administration’s request for public comment on the White House’s AI Action Plan, which aims to secure and advance the country’s position in the AI industry. Silicon Valley tech companies Google and OpenAI wrote their own letters.

Hollywood Inc.

Several film and TV writers say they are horrified their scripts are being used by tech companies to train AI models without writers’ permission. They are pressuring studios to take legal action.

There has been tension between AI companies and creatives, who object to AI models being trained on their work without their permission. The Writers Guild of America has pushed studios to sue AI companies that are engaging in this practice. Other organizations including the New York Times have sued OpenAI for copyright infringement.

Tech executives propose that they should be permitted to educate AI models using content found online, under the understanding of “fair use,” a principle that permits limited duplication of material without seeking permission from copyright owners.

In a letter sent to the White House, OpenAI’s international affairs head, Chris Lehane, stated that treating AI under the fair use principle isn’t just about maintaining U.S. competitiveness; rather, it pertains significantly to the nation’s security as well.

The San Francisco startup known for ChatGPT argued that the rapid advances by China startup DeepSeek show that “America’s lead on frontier AI is far from guaranteed.” DeepSeek claimed it could compete with OpenAI at lower cost.

In January, President Trump announced the Stargate project, in which OpenAI, Oracle and Softbank will work on a venture to put hundreds of billions of dollars into building AI infrastructure in the U.S.

“If [China’s] developers have unfettered access to data and American companies are left without fair use access, the race for AI is effectively over,” Lehane said in his letter. “Ultimately, access to more data from the widest possible range of sources will ensure more access to more powerful innovations that deliver even more knowledge.”

Google, in its letter, called for “balanced copyright rules,” arguing that fair use and other exceptions to copyright protections “have been critical to enabling AI systems to learn from prior knowledge and publicly available data, unlocking scientific and social advances.”

Hollywood Inc.

U.S. tech stocks, including Nvidia, Oracle and Broadcom, plummeted Monday after Chinese startup DeepSeek said it created an AI system that can compete against chatbots such as OpenAI’s ChatGPT at much lower costs.

But Hollywood creatives said there is no reason to weaken or eliminate copyright protections and that AI companies can use copyrighted material by negotiating licenses with copyright holders.

The U.S. arts and entertainment industry supports more than 2.3 million U.S. jobs with more than $229 billion in wages annually; weakening copyright protections could undermine its economic and cultural strength, the creatives wrote in their letter.

As a film critic, I’m compelled to express my concerns about a recent development. Google and OpenAI are seeking a unique government exception that would allow them unrestricted access to America’s artistic and intellectual wealth. This move comes despite their impressive financial resources. In simpler terms, they want to tap into our nation’s creative and knowledge industries without the usual regulations, all while boasting substantial earnings.

Google and OpenAI did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The letter was signed by people who work in the entertainment industry, including writers, actors, musicians and costume designers. Prominent signers include Marisa Tomei, Carrie Coon, Ben Stiller, Natasha Lyonne, Mark Ruffalo, Ava DuVernay and Ron Howard.

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On Monday, OpenAI announced that they plan to make their debated video-generating tool available to the general public, offering various subscription plans.

Hollywood creatives pushed for more protections against AI when actors and writers went on strike in 2023. Guilds have voiced support for new laws regulating AI. In September, Gov. Gavin Newsom signed bills that would provide more protection to digital likenesses.

Some creative professionals have adopted this technology because it allows them to experiment with daring concepts without being limited by financial restrictions.

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2025-03-18 22:48

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