Hollywood Stars Unite Against AI Copyright Exploitation in Open Letter to Trump Administration

Hundreds of Actors Urge Trump Not to Let AI Train on Their Copyrighted Content

Katelyn is a writer with CNET covering social media, AI and online services. She graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill with a degree in media and journalism. You can often find her with a novel and an iced coffee during her time off. Copyright law is one of the most pressing elements in the tangled web of legality and ethics surrounding generative AI. Now Hollywood is hoping to convince the Trump administration to hold off on allowing AI companies to upend current copyright law. In a letter submitted to the administration's office of science and technology policy on March 15, over 400 actors, writers and directors called for the government to not grant fair use exceptions to tech companies training AI. The signatories include Paul McCartney, Guillermo del Toro, Ava Duvernay, Cynthia Erivo, Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Ayo Edebiri, Chris Rock and Mark Ruffalo. Fair use is a fundamental concept in copyright law that gives folks an exception to use protected content even if they aren't the copyright holder, in limited and specific cases. Previously, AI companies, hungry for human-generated content to train and improve their AI models, have needed to pay publishers and content catalogs for access to that material. A fair use exception would make it easier for tech companies to access content without costly legal hurdles. Google and OpenAI proposed similar changes to current copyright law in their proposals for the administration's AI Action plan. Google wrote that such exceptions allow it to "avoid often highly unpredictable, imbalanced, and lengthy negotiations with data holders during model development." OpenAI wrote that fair use protections for AI are necessary to protect American national security. Part of the recent governmental push around AI is concerns over losing global standing and a technological edge over AI development to adversaries like China. Chinese AI, like ChatGPT rival DeepSeek, is continuing to process but concerns abound over its security and lack of guardrails. In other words, tech companies like Google and OpenAI, each valued by market cap in the hundreds of billions and trillions of dollars, don't want to go through the established legal process and pay for the rights to the content they need to make their AIs competitive with those being developed by China. And they want the Trump administration to codify protections for them as part of its AI Action plan. The Hollywood signatories strongly oppose the possibility of such a rewriting of copyright law. "America didn't become a global cultural powerhouse by accident," the letter reads. "Our success stems directly from our fundamental respect for IP and copyright that rewards creative risk-taking by talented and hardworking Americans from every state and territory." The US Copyright Office has been developing guidance for how to handle copyright claims for AI-generated content. But people have been worried for years about -- and even sued over -- how AI models are trained in a way that potentially violates the rights of copyright holders. The dual strikes in summer 2023 by members from the Writers Guild of America and Screen Actors Guild and the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, or SAG-AFTRA, included AI as one of their chief concerns. Neither OpenAI nor Google have shared exactly what content makes up their training databases for ChatGPT and Gemini. The copyright equation gets even more complicated as we know of at least one company that's received a copyright claim for an image whose every part is generated by AI. It leaves room for uncertainty on every side of the mess that is copyright and AI. The Trump administration and AI Up until this point, there hasn't been much meaningful progress on government oversight or legislation regulating how tech giants like OpenAI and Google develop AI. Former President Biden got many of the major tech companies to voluntarily pledge to develop AI responsibly and tried to enact some guardrails around AI development via executive order. But within hours of being inaugurated, Trump rolled back Biden's AI executive order with one of his own. In his own executive order on AI, Trump said he wants to "sustain and enhance America's global AI dominance." The AI Action plan is how he plans to enact his version of tech policy. Vice President Vance introduced the plan, and more broadly the administration's view on the tech, at an international summit on AI in January. Vance said: "When conferences like this convene to discuss a cutting-edge technology, oftentimes, I think our response is to be too self-conscious, too risk-averse. But never have I encountered a breakthrough in tech that so clearly calls us to do precisely the opposite." In addition to the call for feedback, a January executive order from President Trump called for American AI to be "free from ideological bias or engineered social agendas." At the same time, tech leaders like Google's Sundar Pichai and OpenAI's Sam Altman have been cozying up to the new administration. Altman donated a million dollars of his own money to Trump's inauguration fund, and Google as a company donated the same. Altman and Pichai got front-row seats for the swearing-in ceremony, along with Meta's Mark Zuckerberg, X's Elon Musk and Amazon's Jeff Bezos. The executives likely hope that getting on Trump's good side will help them pave the road for their tech company's futures -- even if, in this case, it would upset decades of established copyright law. Many groups of people -- not just creators -- are worried that unregulated development and use of AI could be disastrous. What comes next for copyright and AI? The US Copyright Office is expected to release one more report on AI, specifically about "legal implications of training AI models on copyrighted works, licensing considerations, and the allocation of any potential liability." In the meantime, a number of active lawsuits could set important precedents for the judicial branch. Thomson Reuters just won its case that said an AI company did not have a fair use case to use its content to build AI. Legislation like the NO FAKES Act is also running its way through Congress, but it's unclear what kind of future AI legislation will have.

Hundreds of celebrities warn against letting OpenAI and Google 'freely exploit' Hollywood

Emma Roth is a news writer who covers the streaming wars, consumer tech, crypto, social media, and much more. Previously, she was a writer and editor at MUO. More than 400 members of the entertainment industry have signed a letter pushing back on OpenAI and Google's proposal to allow AI models to train on copyrighted content, as reported earlier by Variety. The letter claims both companies "are arguing for a special government exemption" that would allow them to "freely exploit" creative industries. The letter, which comes in response to the Trump administration's request for feedback on its incoming AI Action Plan, is signed by stars like Ben Stiller, Mark Ruffalo, Cynthia Eviro, Cate Blanchett, Taika Waititi, Ayo Edebiri, Aubrey Plaza, Guillermo del Toro, Natasha Lyonne, Paul McCartney, and many others. It directly addresses Google and OpenAI's comments on the AI Action Plan, both of which argue that they need access to copyrighted materials to train their AI models and that existing laws are holding them back. In its letter, OpenAI claims applying fair use protections to AI is a "matter of national security." "There is no reason to weaken or eliminate the copyright protections that have helped America flourish," the celebrities' letter reads. "Not when AI companies can use our copyrighted material by simply doing what the law requires: negotiating appropriate licenses with copyright holders -- just as every other industry does."

Over 400 celebrities sign letter opposing AI training on copyrighted works without permission

Serving tech enthusiasts for over 25 years. TechSpot means tech analysis and advice you can trust. What just happened? Hundreds of stars and Hollywood executives have signed an open letter urging the Trump administration to deny proposals from AI companies that would allow their systems to be trained on copyrighted work without obtaining permission. Over 400 actors, musicians, filmmakers, writers, and more signed the letter sent to the White House, including Ben Stiller, Mark Ruffalo, Cate Blanchett, Paul McCartney, and Ron Howard, reports The Wrap. The letter, which is not avialable publicly, is a response to submissions to the Office of Science and Technology Policy from OpenAI and Google proposing that the companies be allowed to train their AI models on copyrighted works without obtaining permission from (or compensating) rights holders. OpenAI said that relaxing copyright laws would promote "the freedom to learn" and help "protect" America's national security. Both Sam Altman's company and Google said the change would help "strengthen America's lead" against China's communist government in the field of AI development. The stars' letter argues that there is no reason to eliminate copyright protections to help AI models improve. "We firmly believe that America's global AI leadership must not come at the expense of our essential creative industries," the letter states. "AI companies are asking to undermine this economic and cultural strength by weakening copyright protections for the films, television series, artworks, writing, music and voices used to train AI models at the core of multibillion-dollar corporate valuations." The letter adds that Google and OpenAI want a special government exemption so they can "freely exploit America's creative and knowledge industries, despite their substantial revenues and available funds." "America didn't become a global cultural powerhouse by accident," the letter continues. "Our success stems directly from our fundamental respect for IP and copyright that rewards creative risk-taking by talented and hardworking Americans from every state and territory." The open letter also notes that America's entertainment industry supports 2.3 million citizens and contributes $229 billion in wages annually, while also providing the "foundation for American democratic influence and soft power abroad." All that would be threatened if Google and OpenAI get their way. Some of the other famous names who signed the letter include Adam Scott, Guillermo del Toro, Natasha Lyonne, Cynthia Erivo, Cate Blanchett, Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Cord Jefferson, Bette Midler, Cate Blanchett, Ava Duvernay, Paul Simon, Ángel Manuel Soto, Taika Waititi, Ayo Edebiri, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Lily Gladstone, Sam Mendes, Brit Marling, Janelle Monáe, Bryn Mooser, Rian Johnson, Paul Giamatti, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Alfonso Cuarón, Judd Apatow, Kim Gordon, Chris Rock, Juliette Lewis, and Michaela Coel. It's not just in the US where celebrities are protesting against this issue. The UK has put forward proposals that would allow AI companies to train their models on any material to which they have lawful access. Any creators or companies that don't want their work used this way would have to opt out, an option that has been called unfair and unworkable. The UK situation led to more than 1,000 musicians, including Kate Bush, Tori Amos, and the Eurythmics' Annie Lennox, releasing a silent album in protest. The album, called Is This What We Want?, features recordings of empty studios and performance spaces. Other protests in the UK included several daily newspapers featuring the slogan "Make It Fair" on their front pages.

Hollywood vs AI: 400 celebs urge Trump to rein in OpenAI, Google

More than 400 prominent Hollywood creatives -- including filmmakers, actors, writers, and musicians -- have come together in a powerful open letter addressed to the Trump White House's Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP). Their message is loud and clear: do not weaken U.S. copyright protections at the behest of AI companies like OpenAI and Google. The letter, submitted as part of public comments for the U.S. AI Action Plan, warns that rolling back protections could severely harm the country's creative industries that contribute economically and culturally to national strength.

400 Hollywood Stars Warn Trump Not to Let AI Companies Exploit Copyright Laws

Over 400 Hollywood creative leaders wrote an open letter urging the U.S. government to stop companies like Open AI and Google from weakening copyright rules. Leading filmmakers, writers, actors, musicians, and others submitted a letter to President Donald Trump's White House's Office of Science and Technology Policy warning that "America's global AI leadership must not come at the expense of our essential creative industries." Earlier this year, President Trump ordered his administration advisors to formulate an "AI Action Plan" for the U.S. and has asked for input from the country's private sector, government, and academia. Hollywood stars -- such as Severance director Ben Stiller, Paul McCartney, Ron Howard, Cate Blanchett, Cynthia Erivo, and Matrix co-creator Lilly Wachowski -- penned the letter in response to recent submissions to the U.S. government from OpenAI and Google, which asserted that the companies should be given unrestricted access to copyrighted material to train AI models. In a 15-page letter, OpenAI, the start-up behind ChatGPT and DALL-E, says that if AI companies are not allowed to train their models on copyrighted material in the U.S., China will take the lead in the AI race. The Hollywood creatives condemned these requests and urged the U.S. government to uphold existing copyright protections against AI. "It is clear that Google (valued at $2Tn) and OpenAI (valued at over $157Bn) are arguing for a special government exemption so they can freely exploit America's creative and knowledge industries, despite their substantial revenues and available funds," the letter says. "There is no reason to weaken or eliminate the copyright protections that have helped America flourish. "Not when AI companies can use our copyrighted material by simply doing what the law requires: negotiating appropriate licenses with copyright holders -- just as every other industry does." The group called for AI companies to negotiate "appropriate licenses" with copyright holders, adding that "access to America's creative catalog of films, writing, video content, and music is not a matter of national security." Additional signatories of the letter include filmmakers such as Guillermo del Toro, Alfonso Cuaron, Sam Mendes, Benny Safdie, Judd Apatow, and Mark Ruffalo. The use of copyrighted material in AI training remains highly controversial, as many companies continue to train models on human-created content without consent or compensation.

Paul McCartney, Cynthia Erivo Among Celebrities Asking Trump for AI Protections - Decrypt

The entertainment industry's battle with the AI industry continued on Tuesday, with over 400 entertainers -- including Mark Ruffalo, Paul McCartney, Cynthia Erivo, Cate Blanchett, and Chris Rock -- signed an open letter urging the Trump administration to uphold existing copyright protections against AI training practices. The letter comes after Google and OpenAI asked that such laws be relaxed. In February, the Trump Administration called for public comments on an artificial intelligence action plan that the White House said would define "priority policy actions" regarding the U.S. position in the global AI industry. "We firmly believe that America's global AI leadership must not come at the expense of our essential creative industries," the letter said. "America's arts and entertainment industry supports over 2.3 million American jobs with over $229 billion in wages annually, while providing the foundation for American democratic influence and soft power abroad." The letter, signed by a consortium of entertainment industry luminaries -- including Star Wars: The Last Jedi director Rian Johnson, actresses Aubrey Plaza and Carrie Coon, and Thor: Ragnarok director Taika Waititi -- was a response to fair use proposals by OpenAI and Google. In a statement to Decrypt, a Google spokesperson emphasized that the existing fair use framework provides a solid legal foundation for innovation. "We support America's existing fair use framework, and we're confident that current copyright law enables AI innovation," the spokesperson said. Decrypt also reached out to OpenAI for comment but did not immediately receive a response. Critics argue that broadening the U.S. fair use doctrine -- which permits limited use of copyrighted material without having to first acquire permission from the copyright holder -- to cover AI developers would threaten the entertainment industry and other sectors. "Make no mistake: This issue goes well beyond the entertainment industry, as the right to train AI on all copyright-protected content impacts all of America's knowledge industries," the letter said. "When tech and AI companies demand unfettered access to all data and information, they're not just threatening movies, books, and music, but the work of all writers, publishers, photographers, scientists, and all other professionals who work with computers and generate intellectual property." OpenAI noted SB-1047, the California bill introduced in 2024 by State Senator Scott Wiener, proposing that a sandbox be created to provide liability protections from "state-based regulations that focus on frontier model security." Decrypt contacted Wiener's officer for comment, but did not immediately receive a response. "This will help keep the U.S. public and private sectors competitive by allowing AI companies of all sizes to pursue bleeding-edge AI technology, free from the regulatory uncertainty created by some state-based liability regimes," the company wrote. Passed in August, SB-1047 aimed to regulate the development and deployment of advanced artificial intelligence -- often referred to as frontier models -- to mitigate potential catastrophic risks associated with misuse. If OpenAI and Google successfully have the fair use doctrine augmented to cover AI developers, it could go a long way in helping to win the legal battles writers, artists, and media outlets have mounted against the industry since AI surged into the mainstream in 2022.

Hollywood urges Trump to protect film, TV from AI

Los Angeles (United States) (AFP) - Hundreds of Hollywood stars including Ben Stiller, Cate Blanchett and Cynthia Erivo have urged Donald Trump's White House to protect film, TV and music copyrights against big tech and artificial intelligence. The open letter -- signed by over 400 actors, directors and artists -- hits back against tech giants like Google and OpenAI, who say their AI models must be allowed to train on a vast range of copyrighted work or risk being left behind by Chinese rivals. But "weakening copyright protections" and allowing tech giants to "exploit America's creative and knowledge industries" would threaten "the world's most vibrant creative economy," says the Hollywood letter. The US entertainment industry supports over 2.3 million jobs that generate some $230 billion in annual wages, as well as "providing the foundation for American democratic influence and soft power abroad," it says. The intervention comes after Trump in January signed an executive order committing to remove "unnecessary government control" of AI and boost "America's global AI dominance." The White House invited companies and other interested parties to submit suggestions. Google and OpenAI said they must be allowed to train their AI models on the widest possible range of copyrighted content, warning that rival countries could otherwise gain a dangerous advantage. If Chinese developers "have unfettered access to data and American companies are left without fair use access, the race for AI is effectively over," wrote OpenAI, noting China's rapid progress with models like DeepSeek. The Hollywood counter-letter was first sent to the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy last week. Organizers said they are continuing to gather signatures. AI has become an existential concern in Hollywood, where studios and producers are keen to explore its cost-cutting potential, but many creatives fear that its use could destroy jobs and damage the quality of content. Artificial intelligence was a central issue in the strikes that in 2023 brought the US entertainment industry to an expensive, months-long halt. Writers and actors eventually agreed deals with studios including strict AI protections, requiring consent and compensation if AI models train on writers' movie scripts, or build computer-generated characters using actors' likenesses. But the issue has returned to the fore with Trump's election and the ever-increasing grip of major tech companies on Hollywood, and the US economy more broadly. "Make no mistake: this issue goes well beyond the entertainment industry, as the right to train AI on all copyright-protected content impacts all of America's knowledge industries," says the letter.

Hundreds of actors and Hollywood insiders sign open letter urging government not to loosen copyright laws for AI

Caitlin O'Kane is a New York City journalist who works on the CBS News social media team as a senior manager of content and production. She writes about a variety of topics and produces "The Uplift," CBS News' streaming show that focuses on good news. Hollywood actors, directors and other creatives are pushing back on the loosening of AI regulations, with more than 420 entertainment industry insiders signing an open letter urging the government to uphold copyright laws that apply to artificial intelligence. The group, led by actress Natasha Lyonne, also includes Bette Midler, Aubrey Plaza, Ava DuVernay, Paul Simon, Mark Ruffalo and hundreds of others. The letter states that OpenAI and Google have recently recommended the government remove "all legal protections and existing guardrails surrounding copyright law protections for the training of Artificial Intelligence." The group believes loosening copyright laws to help AI learn would come at the expense of creative industries. OpenAI, a major U.S. artificial intelligence company, and Google, which runs the AI company Oracle, both wrote to the Office of Science and Technology Policy about an AI action plan this month, making the case that it would be beneficial for AI developers to be able to use copyrighted materials to train AI. Google argued that exceptions to copyright laws would allow the use of "copyrighted, publicly available material for AI training without significantly impacting rights holders," and that fair use and text-and-data mining exceptions would balance existing copyright rules. Actors have long fought against the expansion of AI, with fears that it would undermine their creative work. One of the major setbacks during the 2024 SAG-AFTRA union negotiations with major production companies was that the parties could not agree on AI regulations in the film industry. SAG-AFTRA, the union that represents about 160,000 performers, wanted film and TV producers to obtain consent from actors to create and use their digital replicas. They also fought for actors to be compensated at their usual rate - even if the role is performed by a digital replica of them. After a 118-day strike during the contract negotiations, SAG-AFTRA and the actors it represents won, and the deal included rules about consent and compensation when AI is used in film and TV shows. California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed two bills into law last year that protect actors from artificial intelligence replicas. One requires labor contracts to specify if there will be AI-generated replicas of an actor, while the other bans the commercial use of digital replicas of performers who are deceased in any media - including TV shows, films and video games -- without getting consent from their estates. The number of artists who signed the open letter - which includes Ben Stiller, Ayo Edebiri, model and actress Cara Delevingne, directors Guillermo del Toro and Taika Waititi, "SNL" actress Chloe Fineman and Oscar-winner Cate Blanchett - is growing. The group initially asked the government for a response by Saturday at 11:59 p.m. but has continued to collect signatures on the letter as that deadline has elapsed. The letter states that the entertainment industry supports more than 2.3 million jobs in the U.S. and pays more than $229 billion in wages annually and argues that "AI companies are asking to undermine this economic and cultural strength by weakening copyright protections for the films, television series, artworks, writing, music, and voices used to train AI models at the core of multi-billion dollar corporate valuations." Last month, Vice President JD Vance warned European Union countries against overregulation of AI during the Artificial Intelligence Action summit in Paris, France. While speaking to tech executives and world leaders, Vance said the excessive regulation of the AI sector could "kill a transformative industry just as it's taking off." In January, President Trump said that the U.S. would invest up to $500 billion in private sector investment to build artificial intelligence infrastructure in the country as a way to keep up with competitors in China. Upon taking office in January, Mr. Trump repealed former President Joe Biden's executive order to keep the development of AI safe, secure and trustworthy and also put out a National Security Memo that outlined the framework to develop AI in government and national security, according to the American Civil Liberties Union. The ACLU, which works to protect people's rights in the U.S., called Mr. Trump's rollback of AI guidelines a "grave mistake," saying the guardrails put in place by the Biden administration were "common sense steps," including transparency and regular testing "to ensure that AI tools follow existing laws protecting civil rights and civil liberties, accurately perform the tasks they're given, and don't waste agency resources."

More than 400 artists send letter to Trump over AI exploitation

Paul McCartney, Ben Stiller, Cate Blanchett and more than 400 celebrities and artists have sent a letter to Trump, urging his administration to not roll back copyright protections. More than 400 Hollywood celebrities and creative leaders, including Paul McCartney, Cate Blanchett and Guillermo del Toro, have signed an open letter to the Trump White House's Office of Science and Technology Policy, urging the administration to not roll back copyright protections despite OpenAI and Google's efforts. The letter directly challenges recent proposals from tech giants that argue US copyright law should allow AI companies to train their systems on copyrighted works without permission or compensation to rights holders. "We firmly believe that America's global AI leadership must not come at the expense of our essential creative industries," states the letter, which comes after OpenAI and Google submitted proposals suggesting that more relaxed copyright rules would strengthen America's competitive edge in AI development against countries like China. The signatories include Ben Stiller, Mark Ruffalo, Cynthia Erivo, Alfonso Cuaron, Chris Rock, Bette Midler, Ava Duvernay, Aubrey Plaza, Ron Howard, Ayo Edebiri, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Lily Gladstone, Sam Mendes, Paul Giamatti, Maggie Gylenhall and Taika Waititi. They point out that tech giants like "Google (valued at $2Tn) and OpenAI (valued at over $157Bn) are arguing for a special government exemption so they can freely exploit America's creative and knowledge industries, despite their substantial revenues and available funds." "America didn't become a global cultural powerhouse by accident," the letter concludes. "Our success stems directly from our fundamental respect for IP and copyright that rewards creative risk-taking by talented and hardworking Americans from every state and territory." Here is the letter from the Hollywood signatories: Hello Friends & Strangers. As you may be aware there has recently been a recommendation by OpenAI & Google to the current US Administration that is gaining alarming traction to remove all legal protections & existing guardrails surrounding copyright law protections for the training of Artificial Intelligence. This rewriting of established law in favor of so-called "Fair Use" was in need of an initial response by 11:59 PM ET Saturday, so we have submitted an initial letter with the signatories we had at that time. We are now continuing to accept signatures for an amendment to our initial statement. Please feel free to forward this to anyone you think may be invested in the ethical maintenance of their intellectual property. You can add your name and whatever guilds or unions or description of self you feel appropriate, but please do not edit the letter itself. Thank you so much for kicking this out wide on a Saturday Night! Hollywood's Response to the Administration's Artificial Intelligence Action Plan and necessity that copyright law be upheld. We, the members of America's entertainment industry -- representing an intersection of cinematographers, directors, producers, actors, writers, studios, production companies, musicians, composers, costume, sound & production designers, editors, gaffers, union and Academy Members, and other industrious, creative content professionals - submit this unified statement in response to the Administration's request for input on the AI Action Plan. We firmly believe that America's global AI leadership must not come at the expense of our essential creative industries. America's arts and entertainment industry supports over 2.3M American jobs with over $229Bn in wages annually, while providing the foundation for American democratic influence and soft power abroad. But AI companies are asking to undermine this economic and cultural strength by weakening copyright protections for the films, television series, artworks, writing, music, and voices used to train AI models at the core of multi-billion dollar corporate valuations. Make no mistake: this issue goes well beyond the entertainment industry, as the right to train AI on all copyright-protected content impacts all of America's knowledge industries. When tech and AI companies demand unfettered access to all data and information, they're not just threatening movies, books, and music, but the work of all writers, publishers, photographers, scientists, architects, engineers, designers, doctors, software developers and all other professionals who work with computers and generate intellectual property. These professions are the core of how we discover, learn, and share knowledge as a society and as a nation. This issue is not just about AI leadership or about economics and individual rights, but about America's continued leadership in creating and owning valuable intellectual property in every field. It is clear that Google (valued at $2Tn) and OpenAI (valued at over $157Bn) are arguing for a special government exemption so they can freely exploit America's creative and knowledge industries, despite their substantial revenues and available funds. There is no reason to weaken or eliminate the copyright protections that have helped America flourish. Not when AI companies can use our copyrighted material by simply doing what the law requires: negotiating appropriate licenses with copyright holders -- just as every other industry does. Access to America's creative catalog of films, writing, video content, and music is not a matter of national security. They do not require a government-mandated exemption from existing U.S. copyright law.

Hollywood warns about AI industry's push to change copyright law

A who's who of musicians, actors, directors, and more have teamed up to sound the alarm as AI leaders including OpenAI and Google argue that they shouldn't have to pay copyright holders for AI training material. In an open letter, submitted to the White House Office of Science and Technology, more than 400 members of the entertainment community expressed concerns about the wish lists of AI companies for the U.S. AI Action Plan. Those recommendations, the letter warned, could severely damage the entertainment community, which supports more than 2.3 million jobs whose wages currently top $229 billion per year. The group urged the Trump administration to not sacrifice America's leadership in the world of entertainment in the race to dominate artificial intelligence. "We firmly believe that America's global AI leadership must not come at the expense of our essential creative industries," the group wrote. "America's arts and entertainment industry ... [provides] the foundation for American democratic influence and soft power abroad. But AI companies are asking to undermine this economic and cultural strength by weakening copyright protections for the films, television series, artworks, writing, music, and voices used to train AI models." Included among the prominent signatures on the letter were Paul McCartney, Cynthia Erivo, Cate Blanchett, Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Bette Midler, Cate Blanchett, Paul Simon, Ben Stiller, Aubrey Plaza, Ron Howard, Taika Waititi, Ayo Edebiri, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Janelle Monáe, Rian Johnson, Paul Giamatti, Maggie Gylenhall, Alfonso Cuarón, Olivia Wilde, Judd Apatow, Chris Rock, and Mark Ruffalo.

Ben Stiller, Paul McCartney, and more urge Trump to protect copyright from AI

More than 400 Hollywood creative leaders 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. The letter was a response to submissions from OpenAI and Google, who claimed that U.S. copyright law should allow AI companies to use copyrighted works for training without permission from rights holders. The signatories, which include prominent figures like Ben Stiller, Mark Ruffalo, Cynthia Erivo, Cate Blanchett, and Paul McCartney, expressed concern that AI companies aim to undermine the economic and cultural strengths of America's creative industries by weakening copyright protections. According to the letter, these protections are vital for films, television shows, artworks, music, and other creative works that are essential for the livelihoods of millions in the industry. The letter emphasizes that weakening copyright protections is a broader issue that affects all knowledge industries, threatening the rights of writers, publishers, photographers, scientists, and other professionals who rely on intellectual property. The signatories assert that access to creative content should not require government-mandated exemptions and argue that AI companies should negotiate licenses just like any other industry. Among the notable signatories are filmmakers, writers, actors, musicians, and other professionals. The letter highlights the importance of America's arts and entertainment industry, which supports over 2.3 million American jobs and generates more than $229 billion in wages annually. It states, "America didn't become a global cultural powerhouse by accident," attributing the nation's success to respect for intellectual property rights. OpenAI's submission claimed that the fair use doctrine in U.S. copyright law promotes AI development and suggested that the government take steps to protect American AI leadership and national security. Google's response advocated for "balanced copyright rules," which they argue are essential for allowing AI systems to learn and innovate using publicly available data. The complete letter also stresses that the creative community stands ready to discuss and collaborate on how to best maintain the balance between promoting innovation while protecting creators' rights. The signatories continue to welcome support for their stance on maintaining existing copyright frameworks as vital to the future of American cultural influence abroad. Here is the letter from the Hollywood signatories: Hello Friends & Strangers. As you may be aware there has recently been a recommendation by OpenAI & Google to the current US Administration that is gaining alarming traction to remove all legal protections & existing guardrails surrounding copyright law protections for the training of Artificial Intelligence. This rewriting of established law in favor of so-called "Fair Use" was in need of an initial response by 11:59 PM ET Saturday, so we have submitted an initial letter with the signatories we had at that time. We are now continuing to accept signatures for an amendment to our initial statement. Please feel free to forward this to anyone you think may be invested in the ethical maintenance of their intellectual property. You can add your name and whatever guilds or unions or description of self you feel appropriate, but please do not edit the letter itself. Thank you so much for kicking this out wide on a Saturday Night! Hollywood's Response to the Administration's Artificial Intelligence Action Plan and necessity that copyright law be upheld. We, the members of America's entertainment industry -- representing an intersection of cinematographers, directors, producers, actors, writers, studios, production companies, musicians, composers, costume, sound & production designers, editors, gaffers, union and Academy Members, and other industrious, creative content professionals - submit this unified statement in response to the Administration's request for input on the AI Action Plan. We firmly believe that America's global AI leadership must not come at the expense of our essential creative industries. America's arts and entertainment industry supports over 2.3M American jobs with over $229Bn in wages annually, while providing the foundation for American democratic influence and soft power abroad. But AI companies are asking to undermine this economic and cultural strength by weakening copyright protections for the films, television series, artworks, writing, music, and voices used to train AI models at the core of multi-billion dollar corporate valuations. Make no mistake: this issue goes well beyond the entertainment industry, as the right to train AI on all copyright-protected content impacts all of America's knowledge industries. When tech and AI companies demand unfettered access to all data and information, they're not just threatening movies, books, and music, but the work of all writers, publishers, photographers, scientists, architects, engineers, designers, doctors, software developers and all other professionals who work with computers and generate intellectual property. These professions are the core of how we discover, learn, and share knowledge as a society and as a nation. This issue is not just about AI leadership or about economics and individual rights, but about America's continued leadership in creating and owning valuable intellectual property in every field. It is clear that Google (valued at $2Tn) and OpenAI (valued at over $157Bn) are arguing for a special government exemption so they can freely exploit America's creative and knowledge industries, despite their substantial revenues and available funds. There is no reason to weaken or eliminate the copyright protections that have helped America flourish. Not when AI companies can use our copyrighted material by simply doing what the law requires: negotiating appropriate licenses with copyright holders -- just as every other industry does. Access to America's creative catalog of films, writing, video content, and music is not a matter of national security. They do not require a government-mandated exemption from existing U.S. copyright law.

Hollywood vs. AI: Over 400 stars including Ben Stiller, Paul McCartney, Aubrey Plaza demand Trump admin block OpenAI and Google from exploiting copyrighted work for training

Hollywood celebrities, including Olivia Wilde and Paul McCartney, have urged the Trump administration to prevent OpenAI and Google from using copyrighted content for AI. They argue that weakening copyright protections would harm the entertainment industry and threaten jobs by allowing AI to exploit their work without payment, while tech companies cite national security and AI advancement benefits. Hollywood is taking a stance against AI. A-list actors, musicians, and filmmakers have urged the Trump administration to prohibit OpenAI and Google from freely using copyrighted material. In a letter to the White House, they claim that weakening copyright protections would harm the entertainment industry and jeopardize the jobs of creative professionals across the country. The Trump Administration is being urged by hundreds of celebrities, including Olivia Wilde, Paul McCartney, Ben Stiller, and Aubrey Plaza, to oppose OpenAI and Google's plans that would make it easier for the tech companies to train artificial intelligence using copyrighted content, as per a report by TheWrap. In an open letter to the White House this past weekend, which TheWrap was able to obtain, over 400 celebrities and entertainment executives argued that such a move would "freely exploit America's creative and knowledge industries, despite [OpenAI and Google's] substantial revenues and available funds." According to the letter, there is "no reason" to reduce or do away with copyright protections in order to support the advancement of AI models. The letter follows the White House's announcement last week of OpenAI and Google's plans to support the US AI industry. In its proposal last Thursday, OpenAI claimed that more liberal copyright regulations would support "the freedom to learn" and aid in "protecting" the national security of the United States. OpenAI contended that permitting AI models to use copyrighted content would also "strengthen America's lead" against China's communist regime in terms of AI development; Google echoed this assertion in its own proposal submitted last week. ALSO READ: American Pie actress Jasmine Mooney detained by ICE at U.S-Mexico border, says she was forced to sleep wrapped in foil for days, 'I've never seen anything so inhumane' However, the celebrities and business leaders who contacted the government did not agree with that line of thinking. The open letter stated, "We are adamant that America's leadership in AI must not be at the expense of our vital creative industries." Besides providing $229 billion in wages annually and supporting 2.3 million Americans, the letter claimed that America's arts and entertainment sector serves as the "foundation for American democratic influence and soft power abroad." They claimed that if AI models could steal copyrighted content without paying for it, then all of that would be jeopardized. According to the letter, "AI companies are requesting to weaken copyright protections for the movies, TV shows, artwork, writing, music, and voices used to train AI models at the core of multi-billion dollar corporate valuations in order to undermine this economic and cultural strength." All of America's knowledge industries, including writers, philosophers, photographers, scientists, engineers, designers, physicians, and architects, are at risk from this problem, the letter also underlined. Although the White House Office of Science and Technology has not made the letter publicly available, it is still accepting signatures and plans to release an updated statement soon. Why are celebrities protesting AI's use of copyrighted content? They argue that allowing AI companies to use copyrighted work without permission will harm artists, writers, and musicians by undermining intellectual property rights. What are OpenAI and Google saying in their defense? They contend that relaxed copyright laws will aid AI progress, strengthen national security, and keep the United States ahead of China in AI development.

400 Hollywood Creatives Push Back on OpenAI and Google's Calls to Train AI on Copyrighted Material

SAG-AFTRA Video Game Strike: Union Says Latest AI Proposals From Studios Contain "Alarming Loopholes" Major Hollywood figures are pushing back against OpenAI and Google's appeals to the U.S. government to allow their AI models to train on copyrighted works. Film, television and music figures including Ron Howard, Cate Blanchett, Cynthia Erivo, Paul McCartney, Paul Simon, Taika Waititi and Ava Duvernay have signed on to a letter expressing alarm at the tech giants' suggestions in recent submissions to a White House office that their access to intellectual property be less fettered by copyright law. "We firmly believe that America's global AI leadership must not come at the expense of our essential creative industries," the letter states, adding that the arts and entertainment industry provides more than 2.3 million jobs and bolsters America's democratic values abroad. "But AI companies are asking to undermine this economic and cultural strength by weakening copyright protections for the films, television series, artworks, writing, music, and voices used to train AI models at the core of multi-billion dollar corporate valuations." On March 13, OpenAI and Google submitted letters to the White House Office of Science and Technology, which has been soliciting input as it develops an AI Action Plan. OpenAI's submission argued that the U.S. could lose its competitive advantage in the race to become the world's AI leader with the People's Republic of China if it strictly adheres to intellectual property frameworks. The company called for the U.S. government to "secure Americans' freedom to learn from AI, and avoid forfeiting our AI lead to the PRC by preserving American AI models' ability to learn from copyrighted material." In its letter Google framed copyright as one legal area that could "impede appropriate access to data necessary for training leading models." The company called for "balanced copyright rules, such as fair use and text-and-data mining exceptions, [which] have been critical to enabling AI systems to learn from prior knowledge and publicly available data, unlocking scientific and social advances." Those exceptions permit "the use of copyrighted, publicly available material for AI training without significantly impacting rightsholders and avoid often highly unpredictable, imbalanced, and lengthy negotiations with data holders during model development or scientific experimentation." Two days later, entertainment figures made their opposition to these arguments known in their own letter to the White House tech office. They said the two companies were essentially "arguing for a special government exemption so they can freely exploit America's creative and knowledge industries, despite their substantial revenues and available funds." The group called for AI companies to negotiate "appropriate licenses" with copyright holders, adding, "Access to America's creative catalog of films, writing, video content and music is not a matter of national security." Additional signatories of the letter include filmmakers Guillermo del Toro, Alfonso Cuaron, Phil Lord, Chris Miller, Rian Johnson, Sam Mendes, Matthew Heineman, Benny Safdie, Ben Stiller, Michaela Coel, Lena Waithe, Judd Apatow and Maggie Gyllenhaal and performers Bette Midler, Ayo Edebiri, Sam Rockwell, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Rock, Tessa Thompson, Fred Armisen and Patton Oswalt, among others. More than 400 industry figures signed on to the letter by March 15, but additional creatives have joined since, including Dan Levy, Jada Pinkett Smith, Willow Smith, Fisher Stevens, Nicholas Braun and Maude Apatow. On Sept. 18, Lionsgate announced that it had signed a licensing deal with Runway, allowing the AI research company to train on its works. "We believe that AI, harnessed within the appropriate guardrails, can be a valuable tool to serve our talent. And we believe that over the long term, it will have a positive transformational impact on our business," CEO Jon Feltheimer said not long after. No major Hollywood firms have publicized any such deals since. Read the full letter below. We, the members of America's entertainment industry -- representing an intersection of cinematographers, directors, producers, actors, writers, studios, production companies, musicians, composers, costume, sound & production designers, editors, gaffers, union and Academy Members, and other industrious, creative content professionals - submit this unified statement in response to the Administration's request for input on the AI Action Plan. We firmly believe that America's global AI leadership must not come at the expense of our essential creative industries. America's arts and entertainment industry supports over 2.3M American jobs with over $229Bn in wages annually, while providing the foundation for American democratic influence and soft power abroad. But AI companies are asking to undermine this economic and cultural strength by weakening copyright protections for the films, television series, artworks, writing, music, and voices used to train AI models at the core of multi-billion dollar corporate valuations. Make no mistake: this issue goes well beyond the entertainment industry, as the right to train AI on all copyright-protected content impacts all of America's knowledge industries. When tech and AI companies demand unfettered access to all data and information, they're not just threatening movies, books, and music, but the work of all writers, publishers, photographers, scientists, architects, engineers, designers, doctors, software developers, and all other professionals who work with computers and generate intellectual property. These professions are the core of how we discover, learn, and share knowledge as a society and as a nation. This issue is not just about AI leadership or about economics and individual rights, but about America's continued leadership in creating and owning valuable intellectual property in every field. It is clear that Google (valued at $2Tn) and OpenAI (valued at over $157Bn) are arguing for a special government exemption so they can freely exploit America's creative and knowledge industries, despite their substantial revenues and available funds. There is no reason to weaken or eliminate the copyright protections that have helped America flourish. Not when AI companies can use our copyrighted material by simply doing what the law requires: negotiating appropriate licenses with copyright holders -- just as every other industry does. Access to America's creative catalog of films, writing, video content, and music is not a matter of national security. They do not require a government-mandated exemption from existing U.S. copyright law.

AI Regulations: Tech Giants and Hollywood Converge on White House AI Strategy | PYMNTS.com

Google, OpenAI, Andreessen Horowitz and a group of 400 entertainment industry celebrities were among those who submitted 8,755 comments on a request for ideas for a U.S. AI Action Plan. The comment period for the plan ended Saturday (March 15), and according to a White House statement, the comments would aid in the "development of an AI Action Plan to sustain and enhance America's global AI dominance." Among the comments was a group of more than 400 Hollywood actors, directors, musicians, writers and other insiders who have signed an open letter to the Trump administration urging the government not to weaken copyright laws for AI model training. Celebrities including Cate Blanchett, Mark Ruffalo and Paul McCartney decried recommendations by OpenAI and Google to "remove all legal protections and existing guardrails" around the use of copyrighted content for AI training. Such removal would threaten 2.3 million American jobs and more than $229 billion in annual wages for the arts and entertainment industry, they said. "There is no reason to weaken or eliminate the copyright protections that have helped America flourish. Not when AI companies can use our copyrighted material by simply doing what the law requires: negotiating appropriate licenses with copyright holders -- just as every other industry does," the letter said. The letter was sent to the National Science Foundation, which was soliciting comments for the U.S. AI Action Plan. The action plan will "define priority policy actions," according to the administration. The proposal drew 8,755 comments, including the letter from the entertainment industry. Read more: OpenAI Calls for Federal Government to Preempt State AI Laws OpenAI's proposals include letting AI models train on copyrighted material while protecting the rights of content creators. "America's robust, balanced intellectual property system has long been key to our global leadership on innovation," according to the startup. "The federal government can both secure Americans' freedom to learn from AI and avoid forfeiting our AI lead to the PRC (China) by preserving American AI models' ability to learn from copyrighted material." Google's proposals include "balanced copyright rules" that allow the use of copyrighted content when it comes to "fair use and text-and-date mining." "These exceptions allow for the use of copyrighted, publicly available material for AI training without significantly impacting rightsholders and avoid often highly unpredictable, imbalanced, and lengthy negotiations with data holders during model development or scientific experimentation." VC firm Andreessen Horowitz waded into the discussion with its own submitted comments. It urged the government to clarify the "proper" relationship between copyright law and model development. "Access to training data is now the most important factor in determining global AI leadership," the VC firm wrote. But U.S. "legacy media companies, among others, are waging war against using their data for AI training, advancing misguided arguments that this infringes their copyrights." Andreessen Horowitz argued that creators' works need to be protected. However, an "aggressive" interpretation of copyright law "places U.S. developers at a significant disadvantage" over other nations with looser IP laws, such as China, the firm said. The company recommended that the government clarify that training AI models on copyright works are allowed under current copyright laws. This is to avoid "needless" lawsuits to stop "necessary" model training. The VC firm also said the Justice Department should file statements of interest in pending AI copyright lawsuits, and explain that model training is "fair use" because it is "transformative, uses no more data than necessary to train the models, and poses no risk to the market for the original work."