The AMPTP Latest Proposal, with Guidelines for Generative AI, was Rejected by the Writer’s Guild
The Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) detailed its Aug. 11 proposal to the Writers Guild of America (WGA), which the guild has rejected.
The latest and so far the only counter offer from the AMPTP, representing the Hollywood conglomerates, studios and producers, was offered to the WGA and subsequently released to the public following a crucial meeting between guild leadership and Hollywood's top CEOs. The offer addresses several key negotiation points including the training, use and recognition of generative artificial intelligence.
Answering to the WGA demands, AMPTP has suggested banning written material produced by generative AI from being classified as “literary material” in any contractual agreement. Showcasing the intricacies of the AI debate, the proposal clarifies that if a writer is handed AI-generated content that has not been previously released or utilized, it should not be treated as “assigned material” for payment purposes. Such content will also be excluded from credit deliberations. Moreover, writers must be informed when they are dealing with AI-derived material, ensuring that such content will not impact a writers’ eligibility for separated rights. This comes in response to the WGA's earlier demands, which aimed to exclude AI-produced work from being termed as “source” or “literary” material, while also preventing any contracted writing from aiding AI training.
Another core demand requested by the WGA is the minimum writer’s room size. Having a minimum number aims to protect the employment of human writers, and also against or limiting the use of AI in scriptwriting. While the AMPTP offer answered to this premise, there are loopholes that make the guild negotiating team doubt the meaningfulness of such offers.
As for employment length, the AMPTP proposed a minimum 10-week employment for high-budget SVOD and pay TV series development rooms. It is seen as sidestepping the WGA’s minimum staffing requirements, but it did propose that for high-budget series, a showrunner should have the liberty to choose at least two writers, ensuring their continuous employment for a minimum of twenty consecutive weeks in the writers' room. Nevertheless, it is pointed out that a showrunner might be a director or non-writing producer, not necessarily guaranteeing the work and voice of writers.
Carol Lombardini, the AMPTP president, underscored the urgency to end the ongoing strike and was confident that their proposal addresses the chief concerns of the writers.
She stated, “our primary objective is to resume the work of the creative community and alleviate the difficulties plaguing the many businesses and individuals that support the industry”. While the offer does engage on issues that the AMPTP was not willing to engage on – besides the guidelines on generative AI, another key element of the proposal is that AMPTP offers a clearer framework on the transparency of streaming metrics for writers’ compensation evaluation.
Nevertheless, the WGA has responded and called the offer “neither nothing, nor nearly enough”. This rejection has prolonged the strike and the negotiations.