The article discusses the recent strike by Hollywood actors' union, SAG-AFTRA, over pay and concerns about the future of the industry.
- The strike is the first in 43 years and has brought the American movie and television business to a halt.
- The actors are joining screenwriters, who went on strike in May, in picket lines across the country.
- The main issues at stake are the calculation of residuals for streaming entertainment and concerns about the rise of artificial intelligence in the industry.
- The article argues that the rise of streaming and the collapse of traditional distribution models have made it difficult to divide revenue and have increased the costs for studios.
- The article suggests that both talent and studios need to adapt to the new paradigm and focus on producing unique content rather than running streaming services.
### Summary
A US court ruled that creative work made by artificial intelligence is ineligible for copyright, a significant ruling amid the ongoing Hollywood writer's strike.
### Facts
- 🤖 Artificial intelligence-generated art cannot be protected by copyright, according to a US federal judge.
- 📜 The ruling may codify intellectual property rights regarding creative works made by AI versus those made by humans.
- ⚖️ The ruling was made by US District Court Judge Beryl A. Howell and supported by the register of copyrights and director of the US Copyright Office, Shira Perlmutter.
- ⚠️ The significance of the ruling comes amid ongoing writers' and actors' strikes in Hollywood, as there are fears that studios will use AI-generated work to avoid paying writers and actors.
- 🧠 The plaintiff, Stephen Thaler, argued that his AI, the "Creativity Machine," should be recognized as the author of a piece of artwork, but the US Copyright Office denied the application.
- 📚 The ruling also clarifies that the copyright for AI-generated work cannot be claimed by the AI's users under the work-for-hire doctrine.
### How does this relate to Hollywood and AI?
- 🎥 The ruling has implications for Hollywood's use of AI-generated content and the ongoing concerns of writers' and actors' unions.
- 💡 The question of copyrightability for works made by AI has become increasingly relevant as generative AI becomes more prevalent globally.
- 💰 Entertainment and media companies are investing significantly in generative AI and may become global leaders in the field.
- 🌐 By 2025, it is projected that 90% of all content may be partly AI-generated.
### Summary
The entertainment industry is experiencing a hiring boom for AI-related positions as companies, including Netflix, Disney, and Sony, aim to expand their machine learning capabilities. This has raised concerns among writers and actors about the potential impact of AI on their livelihoods.
### Facts
- The Writers Guild of America (WGA) is concerned that generative AI could replace human writers, allowing studios to cut costs.
- The Screen Actors Guild (Sag-Aftra) is worried about the use of digital likenesses, with studios proposing to pay background actors for perpetual image usage.
- Companies like Netflix, Disney, and Amazon have numerous open positions related to machine learning and AI, indicating a push to build up machine learning capabilities.
- The expansion of AI employment in the entertainment industry extends beyond generative AI, encompassing areas like recommendations, advertising, and dubbing of foreign languages.
- The hiring boom reflects a broader trend of companies seeking AI leadership roles across various industries.
- Disney has formed an internal task force to study AI and is embracing AI as part of its creative future.
- Generative AI is already being used in various aspects of entertainment production, including visual effects, dubbing, and even generating full episodes or movies.
- Writers and actors are demanding protections over AI, including the use of their creative material and AI-generated scripts.
- The current agreement between the WGA and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) does not consider AI-generated material eligible for credit.
### Summary
A federal judge ruled that AI-generated art cannot be copyrighted, which could impact Hollywood studios and their use of AI.
### Facts
- 🤖 Plaintiff Stephen Thaler sued the US Copyright Office to have his AI system recognized as the creator of an artwork.
- 🚫 US District Judge Beryl Howell upheld the Copyright Office's decision to reject Thaler's copyright application.
- 📜 Howell stated that human authorship is a fundamental requirement for copyright and cited the "monkey selfie" case as an example.
- ❓ How much human input is needed for AI-generated works to qualify as authored by a human will be a question for future cases.
- ⚖️ Hollywood studios may face challenges in their contract disputes with striking actors and writers, as AI-generated works may not receive copyright protection.
Generative AI is starting to impact the animation and visual effects industry, with companies like Base Media exploring its potentials, but concerns about job security and copyright infringement remain.
The use of artificial intelligence in the entertainment industry is a major concern for Hollywood actors during ongoing strikes.
The Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers has proposed guidelines for the usage of artificial intelligence (AI) and data transparency in the entertainment industry, stating that AI-created material cannot be considered literary or intellectually protected, and ensuring that credit, rights, and compensation for AI-generated scripts are given to the original human writer or reworker.
AI is revolutionizing the world of celebrity endorsements, allowing for personalized video messages from stars like Lionel Messi, but there are concerns about the loss of authenticity and artistic integrity as Hollywood grapples with AI's role in writing scripts and replicating performances, leading to a potential strike by actors' unions.
The use of copyrighted material to train generative AI tools is leading to a clash between content creators and AI companies, with lawsuits being filed over alleged copyright infringement and violations of fair use. The outcome of these legal battles could have significant implications for innovation and society as a whole.
AI technology, specifically generative AI, is being embraced by the creative side of film and TV production to augment the work of artists and improve the creative process, rather than replacing them. Examples include the use of procedural generation and style transfer in animation techniques and the acceleration of dialogue and collaboration between artists and directors. However, concerns remain about the potential for AI to replace artists and the need for informed decision-making to ensure that AI is used responsibly.
Artificial intelligence (AI) is seen as a tool that can inspire and collaborate with human creatives in the movie and TV industry, but concerns remain about copyright and ethical issues, according to Greg Harrison, chief creative officer at MOCEAN. Although AI has potential for visual brainstorming and automation of non-creative tasks, it should be used cautiously and in a way that values human creativity and culture.
Artificial intelligence is not likely to replace actors in the entertainment industry, as it lacks the unique spark and creativity that humans possess, and while it may have some impact on job opportunities, it also presents new opportunities for smaller studios and filmmakers.
Stephen King, a renowned author, defends generative AI by comparing it to the Luddites' resistance to industrial progress, despite the fact that the Luddites were actually protesting against the exploitation of workers through machinery, not progress itself. However, many creatives are concerned about AI's impact on their livelihoods, as it eradicates revenue streams and reduces opportunities for emerging artists, making it crucial to critically examine how the technology is being utilized.
The media artists union SAG-AFTRA has voted to expand its strike to include the video game industry, citing issues such as pay, working conditions, and protections against the unrestrained use of artificial intelligence.
The use of AI in the entertainment industry, such as body scans and generative AI systems, raises concerns about workers' rights, intellectual property, and the potential for broader use of AI in other industries, infringing on human connection and privacy.
Three artists, including Kelly McKernan, are suing artificial intelligence (AI) companies for infringing on their copyrights by using their artwork to train image-generators without their consent, in a case that may set a precedent for how creators can protect their work from AI developers profiting off it.
AMPTP studios have been including clauses in actors' contracts that set up artificial intelligence traps, leading to concerns about consent and the use of actors' likeness or image without their agreement.
Sean Penn criticizes studios' use of artificial intelligence to exploit actors' likenesses and voices, challenging executives to allow the creation of virtual replicas of their own children and see if they find it acceptable.
Sony Pictures Entertainment CEO, Tony Vinciquerra, believes that artificial intelligence (AI) is a valuable tool for writers and actors, dismissing concerns that AI will replace human creativity in the entertainment industry. He emphasizes that AI can enhance productivity and speed up production processes, but also acknowledges the need to find a common ground with unions concerned about job loss and intellectual property rights.
The iconic entertainment site, The A.V. Club, received backlash for publishing AI-generated articles that were found to be copied verbatim from IMDb, raising concerns about the use of AI in journalism and its potential impact on human jobs.
Actor and author Stephen Fry expresses concern over the use of AI technology to mimic his voice in a historical documentary without his knowledge or permission, highlighting the potential dangers of AI-generated content.
Hollywood writers and producers have made progress in negotiations to end the strike, but a major obstacle remains regarding the use of artificial intelligence.
The historic writers' strike was partly a battle against the use of AI by studios to exploit writers, with concerns that AI would be used to justify lower fees and eventually replace writers altogether, leading to a strong public support for the writers' cause.
Media mogul Barry Diller criticizes generative artificial intelligence and calls for a redefinition of fair use to protect published material from being captured in AI knowledge-bases, following lawsuits against OpenAI for copyright infringement by prominent authors, and amidst a tentative labor agreement between Hollywood writers and studios.
Voice actors in the video game industry are prepared to strike over a new contract that addresses issues of pay raises and the use of AI to alter or generate performances, as they fear advances in generative AI could threaten their livelihood and professional rights.
AI creators in the Tamil film industry are using artificial intelligence tools to replace voices, create AI-generated content, and design costumes, with the technology slowly changing the way filmmakers envision and execute their projects.
The Writers Guild of America has reached a tentative deal with Hollywood studios after a five-month strike, with key points including limits on the use of artificial intelligence (AI), allowing writers to use AI with permission but not mandating its use, and preventing studios from using AI-generated material without informing the writers; however, concerns remain as SAG-AFTRA, the labor union representing actors, is still on strike and has raised worries about the impact of AI on their industry.
The recently ended Hollywood writers' strike reached a groundbreaking agreement that protects screenwriters from losing their jobs to AI-generated scripts, although the issue of AI training remains unresolved, highlighting the growing concerns in the music industry regarding AI-generated music and the need for legislation to protect songwriters.
The Writers Guild of America's recent deal with Hollywood studios, which addresses the use of artificial intelligence (A.I.), sets a significant precedent for labor relations in a digital future, highlighting that workers can have a say in how A.I. is utilized in the workplace and ensuring that human writers receive credit and compensation for their work alongside A.I. tools.
Artificial intelligence (AI) has the potential to revolutionize the entertainment industry by reducing production costs and saving time, but it should not replace or disrupt the creative process, according to a report by Bain & Co. The report emphasizes the need for a balance between utilizing new technologies and respecting the talent and creativity of artists and writers. The savings generated by AI and other technologies can enable studios to produce more high-quality content.
Tech companies using generative AI models are being urged by artists, including Margaret Atwood and Dan Brown, to compensate them for the use of their work, as lawsuits are brought against vendors for copyright infringement; however, there is currently no consensus on the amount artists should be paid, leading to unclear compensation policies from generative AI vendors such as Adobe and Getty Images.
Hollywood writers have reached a groundbreaking agreement that establishes guidelines for the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in film and television, ensuring that writers have control over the technology and protecting their roles from being replaced by AI. This contract could serve as a model for other industries dealing with AI.
Celebrities such as Tom Hanks and Gayle King have become victims of AI-powered scams, with AI-generated versions of themselves being used to promote fraudulent products, raising concerns about the use of AI in digital media.
AI-altered images of celebrities are being used to promote products without their consent, raising concerns about the misuse of artificial intelligence and the need for regulations to protect individuals from unauthorized AI-generated content.
Representatives from various media and entertainment guilds, including SAG-AFTRA and the Writers Guild of America, have called for consent, credit, and compensation in order to protect their members' work, likenesses, and brands from being used to train artificial intelligence (AI) systems, warning of the encroachment of generative AI into their industries that undermines their labor and presents risks of fraud. They are pushing for regulations and contractual terms to safeguard their intellectual property and prevent unauthorized use of their creative content.
The Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) is calling for TV and film studios to obtain explicit consent from actors, give credit, and provide fair compensation for using their likeness to train generative AI systems, arguing for equal protection of actors' intellectual property.
As the Hollywood strikes continue, there is hope for a deal between signatories and SAG-AFTRA, but Deadline Strike Talk host Billy Ray warns of the importance of safeguards against AI for actors.
Three filmmakers at the Hamptons International Film Festival expressed concerns about the impact of strikes, uncertainty in SAG-AFTRA negotiations, and the threat of artificial intelligence in the entertainment industry, calling for regulations to protect human creativity and the industry itself.
The ongoing SAG-AFTRA strike in Hollywood raises concerns about the use of AI in filmmaking as extras on the set of Paramount's Gladiator 2 allege that their likenesses were scanned for AI usage without their consent, highlighting the lack of clarity surrounding this issue in the industry.
