A formidable alliance of over 700 artists, writers, and creators, including Scarlett Johansson, Cate Blanchett, and Joseph Gordon-Levitt, has banded together in a new anti-AI campaign, decrying the misuse of copyrighted works by tech giants without permission. As lawmakers on both sides of the Atlantic ponder new regulations regarding AI training data, the campaign asserts unequivocally: "Stealing our work is not innovation. It's not progress. It's theft – pure and simple."
For Johansson, Blanchett, Gordon-Levitt, and the hundreds of others involved, the fight for authorship is not just about safeguarding their own interests but also protecting the entire U.S. creative sector, which encompasses film, television, music, publishing, and digital media. This sector "supports millions of jobs, fuels economic growth, and projects cultural power globally," according to the statement. However, this ecosystem is under threat due to AI developers' practice of scraping creative work often without authorization, compensation, or transparency.
The statement reads: "America’s creative community is the envy of the world." Yet, instead of respecting and protecting this valuable asset, some of the largest tech companies – many backed by private equity and other funders – are using American creators' work to build AI platforms without heeding copyright law.
The campaign urges companies to strike content deals or partnerships, as some have already done. "A better way exists," the statement asserts, arguing that responsible licensing deals can allow AI to advance while still respecting creators' rights. "It is possible to have it all. We can have advanced, rapidly developing AI and ensure creators' rights are respected."
Johansson has been vocal against the dangers of AI before and has been fighting against the unauthorized use of her likeness for years. In February 2024, she issued a statement condemning a viral video in which an AI version of herself, along with other celebrities, appeared to protest Kanye West's antisemitic posts. She also took legal action in November 2023 against an AI app that used her name and likeness in an online advertisement without permission and condemned OpenAI in May 2024 for using her voice from Spike Jonze's 2013 movie "Her" as inspiration for a GPT-4 chatbot named Sky.
Blanchett has also spoken about AI several times, including at the Toronto International Film Festival in 2024. During a conversation with TIFF CEO Cameron Bailey, she said: "I think it’s really important to discuss any new technology. I think we should be very cautious with it because innovation without imagination is a very, very dangerous thing."
Last year, Blanchett and Gordon-Levitt were among 400 Hollywood filmmakers, writers, actors, and musicians who signed an open letter to the Trump White House's Office of Science and Technology Policy, urging the administration not to roll back copyright protections at the behest of AI companies.
Here’s the full statement:
Stealing is not innovation.
America’s creative community is the envy of the world and creates jobs, economic growth, and exports.
But rather than respect and protect this valuable asset, some of the biggest tech companies, many backed by private equity and other funders, are using American creators’ work to build AI platforms without authorization or regard for copyright law.
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.
A better way exists – through licensing deals and partnerships, some AI companies have taken the responsible, ethical route to obtaining the content and materials they wish to use. It is possible to have it all. We can have advanced, rapidly developing AI and ensure creators’ rights are respected.
