Ben Stiller, Paul McCartney and Ron Howard were among more than 400 entertainment figures and industry workers who signed an open letter this week urging President Donald Trump to protect artificial intelligence copyright rules.
“We firmly believe that America’s global AI leadership should not come at the expense of our essential creative industry,” the letter began with a shared deadline and diversity written to Trump’s office of Science and Technology Policy.
“The American arts and entertainment industry supports more than 2.3 million American jobs with wages of over $229 billion, providing the basis for American democratic influence and soft power overseas.
The letter was submitted as part of the Trump administration’s comments on the US AI Action Plan.
From left: President Donald Trump will not roll back AI copyright protections, prompted by Hollywood A-listers like Ben Stiller and Paul McCartney. (Getty Images)
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Openai and Google recently submitted their own submissions to the Science and Technology Bureau, asking their respective companies to train their models on copyrighted materials.
“The federal government can ensure the freedom of Americans to learn from AI and avoid confiscating AI leads into the PRC.
Google’s state stated, “Balanced copyright rules such as fair use and text and data mining exceptions were important to enable AI systems to learn from prior knowledge and publicly available data and unlock scientific and social advances. These exceptions allowed the use of published materials published for AI training for AI training to have copyright, without avoiding copyright, exchantics, and exchantics, without avoiding copyright and avoiding copyright. Experiment.”
The Hollywood letter states, “There is no reason to undermine or eliminate copyright protections that will help America thrive. It is not a time when AI companies can use copyrighted material simply by doing what the law requires.
Openai and Google, famous for their ChatGpt programs, have proposed loosening the AI copyright laws. (Bloomberg via Getty Images)
Simon Cowell should not be able to steal human talent
“Access to American creative catalogues of film, writing, video content and music is not a national security issue. They do not require government-mandated exemptions from existing US copyright laws.
“For nearly 250 years, US copyright law balances creator rights with the needs of its citizens, creating the world’s most vibrant creative economy. The American AI Action Plan recommends that we support the existing copyright framework to maintain the strength of the American creative and knowledge industry.”
Fox News Digital contacted the Science and Technology Policy office for comment but did not respond immediately.
A large group of A-listers has gathered against AI, but a team of top revenue directors is openly embracing technology.
Joe and Anthony Russo are brothers behind some of Marvel’s biggest hits like “Avengers: Endgame,” and recently released the film “The Electric State” on Netflix, starring Millie Bobby Brown and Chris Pratt.
From left: Joe Russo, Millie Bobby Brown and Anthony Russo will be attending London photo call for “The Electric State.” (Jed Cullen/Dave Bennett/Getty Images)
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The film tells the story of a world filled with powerful robots that dominate the landscape, and touches on the subject of AI.
Joe told the Sunday Times this week that he used AI for audio modulation in “electrical states” and that using AI is more common in Hollywood than people would admit.
“There’s a lot of fingertips and exaggeration because people are afraid,” Joe said. “They don’t understand, but in the end we see that AI is being used more heavily.”
He continued, “AI is in its production state now, and as we call it, hallucinations. You can’t do mission-critical work with something that hallucinates. That’s why self-driving cars aren’t taking over, or why AI surgeries aren’t being done all over the world.
Joe Russo says that AI is used more than you think in Hollywood, and that the technology is “optimized for creativity.” (Carlos Alvarez/Getty Images on Netflix)
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AI, and in particular, Generator AI, was a divisive topic in Hollywood even before the strike by writers and actors in 2023.
Both unions closed the industry for almost six months, but were “needed at the time.”
“Our members suffered. Other workers in the industry were suffering. The industry was suffering. It was necessary back then. I wish it wasn’t there,” Crabtree Ireland said. “So, looking at the ultimate agreement, I feel that the company may have made this deal with us on July 12th.
“On the other hand, it was essential to go outside prior to AI implementation. If the industry was already trying to negotiate this after it had already started using it in a big way, then it would be impossible to actually bring that genie back into the bottle.
At this month’s SXSW Festival, SAG-AFTRA held a panel to address the ongoing effects of AI on Hollywood.
Watch: Sag AFTRA Rep for Why Last Year’s “Devastating” Hollywood Strike was “needed”
“Brutal” producer defends the use of artificial intelligence in Oscar-winning films after controversy
“The copyright issues are a huge thing for the studio, and for our people, it was good because employers really want to hear from our people.
“So they’re very careful and careful about AI.”
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“I think ultimately there must be some federal laws and all unions are debating among themselves that the most approaches can be the most fruitful,” added Rebecca Line, DGA Associates National Executive Director & Western Executive Director.
