The Writers Guild of America (WGA) has called on Hollywood studios to “come off the sidelines” and prevent tech companies from allegedly using its members’ works to train AI platforms.
The guild urged studios to take “immediate legal action” against any tech firms that it says have used writers’ work to train their AI systems.
The WGA sent a letter to the chief executives of Warner Bros. Discovery, Disney, Paramount Global, NBCUniversal, Sony, Netflix and Amazon MGM Studios outlining its concerns. The letter was published in full by key Hollywood trades.
“It’s time for the studios to come off the sidelines,” the letter stated. “After this industry has spent decades fighting piracy, it cannot stand idly by while tech companies steal full libraries of content for their own financial gain.”
The letter cited a recent article in The Atlantic titled There’s No Longer Any Doubt That Hollywood Writing is Powering AI which it said confirms that “tech companies have looted the studios’ intellectual property – a vast reserve of works created by generations of union labour – to train their artificial intelligence systems.”
The letter said: “The studios, as copyright holders of works written by WGA members, have done nothing to stop this theft. They have allowed tech companies to plunder entire libraries without permission or compensation. The studios’ inaction has harmed WGA members.”
It added: “The studios should take immediate legal action against any company that has used our members’ works to train AI systems.”
You are not signed in
Only registered users can comment on this article.
Paramount Skydance expected to announce redundancies next week
Paramount Skydance will reportedly announce approximately 2,000 job cuts in the US next week, with additional layoffs internationally, according to reports.
Warner Bros. Discovery to revamp TLC as free-to-air channel in UK and Ireland
Warner Bros. Discovery has unveiled plans to launch a new-look TLC as a free-to-air entertainment channel in the UK and Ireland.
NEP Group secures funding and debt refinancing
Outside broadcast specialist NEP Group has secured a $700m equity investment from a group of co-investors led by the company 26North Partners LP (26North).
Apple wins US broadcast rights to Formula 1
Apple has won the rights to broadcast Formula 1 races in the United States for the next five years in a deal reportedly worth approximately $150m a year.
Netflix to merge Scanline VFX and Eyeline Studios
Netflix is merging its visual effects facility, Scanline VFX, and its virtual production specialist Eyeline Studios to create one brand, Eyeline.
.jpg)
.jpg)
