Artificial intelligence cannot be considered a “writer” and its content is not “literary material” as per new accord.

The union of US screen writers published the summary of an accord it reached recently with major Hollywood studios pertaining to the use of artificial intelligence (AI) the cinema industry and literature. 

The Memorandum of Agreement, which covers the period from 25 September 2023 to 1 May 2026, was accepted by the parties after a five-month strike led by the Writers Guild of America (WGA).

With reference to AI, the document provides for the following conditions:

• AI can’t write or rewrite literary material, and AI-generated material will not be considered source material under the MBA, meaning that AI-generated material can’t be used to undermine a writer’s credit or separated rights.
• A writer can choose to use AI when performing writing services, if the company consents and provided that the writer follows applicable company policies, but the company can’t require the writer to use AI software (e.g., ChatGPT) when performing writing services.
• The company must disclose to the writer if any materials given to the writer have been generated by AI or incorporate AI-generated material.

• The WGA reserves the right to assert that exploitation of writers’ material to train AI is prohibited by MBA or other law.

The accord is a big victory for writers, especially as concerning the clause stating that writers working on a movie or a TV show retain the right to access AI tools for content generating purposes, under the conditions that employers give them permission.

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The WGA also obtained higher minimum fees and rates, more generous viewership-based streaming bonuses and premiums, half of the earnings on a flat deal paid upfront, as well as larger contributions to pension funds and healthcare.

AI has been a contentious issue during the WGA's five-month negotiations, with studios expressing a keen interest in leveraging this technology. The concern, both then and now, revolves around the possibility that studios may replace human script writers with AI technologies and thus undermine their livelihoods.

More to read:
Artificial intelligence kills over 100 jobs at German newspaper

Another cinema industry union, the Screen Actors Guild, is still on strike over the use of AI.

Media industry owners and journalists in the US and the EU too clashed with AI developers over what they called “theft” of content and breach of copyright laws, demanding pays for scanning existing works to train AI.

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