Prominent Hollywood figures including Scarlett Johansson and Cate Blanchett have united with musicians and authors in a powerful open letter that accuses major technology companies of engaging in "theft" by utilising copyrighted artistic works to train artificial intelligence models. The letter forms part of the Human Artistry Campaign's "Stealing Isn't Innovation" movement, which demands that tech corporations pursue ethical collaborations rather than appropriating creative content without authorisation.
High-Profile Signatories Voice Copyright Concerns
The signatories, which also include acclaimed television creator Vince Gilligan and the legendary band REM, assert that America's creative community is being systematically exploited by technology firms developing AI platforms. They argue these companies operate without proper regard for established copyright law, using protected works to fuel their algorithms without permission or compensation.
Demanding Ethical Alternatives to Content Appropriation
The letter strongly contends that "stealing our work is not innovation" and emphasises that viable alternatives exist through proper licensing agreements and collaborative partnerships. The campaign highlights that a "better way exists" for technology and creativity to coexist productively, one that respects intellectual property rights while fostering genuine innovation.
This collective action follows Scarlett Johansson's previous public criticism of OpenAI, which emerged after the company launched a ChatGPT voice assistant that the actress claimed bore an "eerily similar" resemblance to her own vocal characteristics. The current campaign represents a significant escalation in the ongoing debate about artificial intelligence's relationship with creative copyright protections.
