Hollywood writers get ‘exceptional’ deal to rein in AI

The potential usage of generative AI by film studios was a focal point of five-month writers’ strike | Unprecedented contract lays down key safeguards against AI | Walt Disney and Netflix agree that “AI is not a writer”.

Hollywood screenwriters have secured a first-of-its-kind contract that curbs the use of artificial intelligence (AI) by film studios in the creative process, putting an end to their five-month-long strike.

Screenwriters' concerns added fuel to a broader debate around the use of generative AI in creative fields, which has seen a barrage of copyright infringement lawsuits against generative AI providers.

Authors including George RR Martin, Jodi Picoult and Michael Crichton, as well as comedian Sarah Silverman, are among those to accuse Chat GPT creator, Open AI, and Meta of infringement.

The Writers Guild of America (WGA) issued a summation of the three-year agreement on Monday, September 25, outlining how heavyweight film studios, including Walt Disney and Netflix, have agreed that AI “is not a writer”.

In a statement published on Sunday, September 24, the WGA described the deal as “exceptional”.

“We have reached a tentative agreement on a new 2023 MBA, which is to say an agreement in principle on all deal points, subject to drafting final contract language.

“We can say, with great pride, that this deal is exceptional—with meaningful gains and protections for writers in every sector of the membership, “ said the guild.

The WGA and the Screen Actors Guild (SAG-AFTRA) instigated the strike in early May, in a bid to cement safeguards to writers’ jobs from the use of AI by film studios, as well as higher royalties for their members and mandatory staffing of TV writing rooms.

Key provisions

The guilds’ agreement with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) resulted in a 94-page contract setting out some major provisions governing the use of AI.

Key points include: