In a powerful show of solidarity, a group of renowned artists, musicians, and authors have banded together to launch the “Stealing Isn’t Innovation” campaign. The campaign accuses AI companies of “theft” by using copyrighted creative work to build their platforms without permission or compensation.
Backed by over 800 professionals, including Scarlett Johansson, Cate Blanchett, REM, and Jodi Picoult, the statement calls out tech firms for exploiting the work of American creators. “Artists, writers, and creators of all kinds are banding together with a simple message: Stealing our work is not innovation. It’s not progress. It’s theft – plain and simple,” the statement reads.
The issue of AI and copyright has been a contentious one, with tech companies arguing that using publicly available online material falls under “fair use” laws. However, creative professionals argue that they should be consulted and compensated if their work is to be used.
Johansson was previously embroiled in the debate after OpenAI’s voice assistant used her vocal likeness, which the actress described as “shocking, angered and in disbelief.” OpenAI subsequently removed the voice from their ChatGPT platform.
Other signatories to the statement include actor Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Breaking Bad creator Vince Gilligan, and singer Cyndi Lauper. Gilligan has previously described AI as the “world’s most expensive and energy-intensive plagiarism machine.”
The campaign has been organised by the Human Artistry Campaign, which includes the Writers Guild of America, the Recording Industry Association of America, and the actors’ union SAG-AFTRA, which went on strike in 2023 partly over the use of AI.
In the UK, the government has faced criticism for proposing that AI firms should be able to use copyrighted work without first seeking artists’ permission, unless they “opt out” of the process. However, the technology secretary, Liz Kendall, has said the government is seeking a “reset” on these plans via an official review due to be published in March.
The “Stealing Isn’t Innovation” campaign represents a significant pushback from the creative community against what they see as the exploitative practices of AI companies. As the debate around AI and copyright continues, it remains to be seen how this issue will be resolved.
