Hey remember reading about how AI will destroy Hollywood as we know it and change Hollywood forever? Of course you do, people have been making bold assertions like that since, well, yesterday.
And then those darn pesky humans at the Writers Guild of America organized, went on strike, and in a few months, got the world's largest film and TV companies to agree to these highly restrictive terms around AI:
We have established regulations for the use of artificial intelligence (“AI”) on Minimum Basic Agreement-covered projects in the following ways:
AI can’t write or rewrite literary material, and AI-generated material will not be considered source material under the MBA, meaning that AI-generated material can’t be used to undermine a writer’s credit or separated rights.
A writer can choose to use AI when performing writing services, if the company consents and provided that the writer follows applicable company policies, but the company can’t require the writer to use AI software (e.g., ChatGPT) when performing writing services.
The Company must disclose to the writer if any materials given to the writer have been generated by AI or incorporate AI-generated material.
The WGA reserves the right to assert that exploitation of writers’ material to train AI is prohibited by MBA or other law.
So I'll just call it right now: The WGA agreement signals the end of generative AI having any chance at becoming a disruptive force in the creation of intellectual property.