WGA Ends Strike with Deal on AI Usage Rules in Hollywood
Summary:
The five-month-long strike by the Writer’s Guild of America (WGA) ended after approving a tentative deal with Hollywood studios, which also addresses the usage of artificial intelligence (AI). The deal prevents AI from writing or rewriting literary material and affirms that AI-generated content will not affect a writer’s credit. Writers can choose to use AI if the company consents and they adhere to company policies. Studios are also mandated to disclose any AI-derived content provided to writers. Furthermore, the WGA retains the right to assert the banning of AI exploitation of writers' material by law.
The Hollywood strike, initiated by the Writer’s Guild of America (WGA), is officially over following the approval of a preliminary agreement with entertainment studios, covering the usage of artificial intelligence (AI) in the sector. The industrial action, which commenced on May 2, 2023, was declared concluded at 01 seconds past the hour of midnight PT, Wednesday, Sept. 27, 2023, based on information from Deadline. The WGA’s key contention points, in addition to improved wages and more equitable contracts, revolved around AI applications and deployment. Studios in the Hollywood Industry outlined an AI usage proposal in a communication to striking writers and actors in August, however it failed to meet the expectations of either group. The finalized provisional agreement with the WGA stipulates that AI is not permitted to create or edit literary content, and that content derived from AI will not be recognized as source material. As Deadline reports, this implies that writers' credits cannot be compromised by content created by AI. The agreement also mandates that a writer be allowed to utilize AI in their scriptwriting provided that the company agrees and that the writer adheres to relevant company guidelines, but the writer cannot be forced to use AI software (for example, ChatGPT) for their writing tasks. Prior to the strike, Ellen Stutzman, one of the WGA's leading figures, revealed that the entertainment studios were not open to negotiations on the terms of AI use. As a further clause of the agreement, entertainment companies are obliged to disclose any instances of AI-derived content being provided to writers or embedded in a project. The WGA reserves the authority to argue that the use of writers' material to train AI contravenes the MBA or another law. The latest agreements will directly impact the WGA, which is one of the two entertainment unions involved in the industrial action. The other union, SAG-AFTRA, representing actors and other 'media professionals', joined the strike in solidarity with the WGA on July 14, 2023, and is currently still on strike. AI is a critical point of contention for SAG-AFTRA as well. The earlier proposal from the studios suggested a one-time payment for scanning background performers, who would thereby relinquish complete ownership of their scan, image and likeness to the company.
Published At
9/27/2023 9:44:30 AM
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