Global Screenwriters Unite for Ethical AI Use in Entertainment

Global screenwriters organizations are rallying for robust licensing and IP protections to ensure ethical AI use and preserve creative integrity in the industry.

Screenwriters’ organizations worldwide have united to advocate for the ethical use of artificial intelligence (AI) in the entertainment industry. The coalition, which includes prominent groups such as the Writers Guild of America East and West, aims to establish clear and enforceable guidelines around the use of writers’ works for training AI technologies. Their collective resolution underscores a push for “robust licensing mechanisms” that ensure writers’ consent before their works are used to inform AI systems.

This collaboration extends across continents, with the Federation of Screenwriters in Europe and the International Affiliation of Writers Guilds at the forefront. These bodies, representing approximately 67,000 professional writers globally, have called for stringent measures to safeguard intellectual property rights in the age of AI. Their demands include transparency from AI service providers, assurance that AI will not replace human writers, recognition of authorship rights exclusively for humans, and fair compensation for the use of writers’ intellectual property.

The resolution is timely, as AI’s role in content creation continues to grow, raising concerns about copyright infringement and the erosion of creative professions. By advocating for licensed use of intellectual property in AI datasets, these organizations aim to protect the integrity and livelihood of writers worldwide.

Key figures, such as IAWG chair Jennifer Davidson and FSE president Carolin Otto, have voiced their commitment to leveraging recent advancements in AI legislation, like the European Union’s impending AI Act, to address these critical issues. They cite the protections won by the WGA East and West during the 2023 writers’ strike as a blueprint for their efforts. These protections include requirements for transparency and flexibility in AI’s use, emphasizing that AI should serve as a tool to enhance the writing process rather than diminish or replace human creativity.

This new coalition of global screenwriters' guilds are gearing up for a multifaceted approach to realize their goals, including collective bargaining, lobbying, and incorporating mandatory clauses in standard contracts.