Hollywood creatives rally behind anti-AI campaign: "Stealing our work is not innovation"
More than 700 actors, writers, directors, and musicians have signed a new campaign called Stealing Isn't Innovation. Names include Scarlett Johansson, Kristen Bell, Vince Gilligan, Cyndi Lauper, Olivia Munn, R.E.M., Paul Feig, Sean Astin, Cate Blanchett, and The Roots.
The message is blunt: "America's creative community is the envy of the world… Stealing our work is not innovation. It's not progress. It's theft - plain and simple." The effort is backed by the Human Artistry Campaign, a global collective of 180+ organizations supporting responsible, ethical AI.
Learn more about the Human Artistry Campaign
Why this matters if you make a living from your ideas
AI tools are scraping, simulating, and remixing creative work at scale, often without consent. Deepfakes are getting more convincing, and voice clones are hitting a nerve with performers and voice actors.
One high-profile example: Scarlett Johansson objected to a chatbot voice that she said sounded like hers; the company at the center of that dispute denied using her voice. Coverage made clear how thin the line is between inspiration and imitation in synthetic media.
NPR: Scarlett Johansson says an AI voice sounded like hers; OpenAI denied using it
We've also seen reports of fully synthetic "actors" built from datasets of real performers. Beyond the headlines, it raises hard questions about consent, training data provenance, and fair pay for the humans whose likenesses and styles fuel these systems.
What the statement is asking for
The signers aren't anti-technology. They're pro-consent. The campaign calls for clear licensing, fair compensation, and partnerships that respect creators' rights.
As the statement puts it: "A better way exists - through licensing deals and partnerships… We can have advanced AI and ensure creators' rights are respected." That's the path: permission, payment, and credit.
Practical steps creatives can take now
- Update contracts: Add clauses on AI training, voice/likeness, and synthetic replicas. Specify consent, scope, and compensation.
- Set platform terms: Use clear "no training/no cloning" language where you publish. Ask clients and vendors to confirm the same.
- Protect your assets: Use visible and invisible markers, keep originals, and maintain version logs to prove authorship.
- Join forces: Coordinate with your union, guild, or professional group to align standards and negotiate together.
- License on your terms: If you choose to work with AI companies, use paid, time-bound, auditable licenses.
- Document misuse: Save links, timestamps, and comparisons. Evidence matters in takedowns and legal follow-up.
The bigger picture
AI can be useful in a creator's toolkit, but the ground rules need to be clear. Consent, credit, and compensation are non-negotiable.
If we get the incentives right, creators get paid, audiences get better work, and tech companies get legitimate data. That's progress.
Level up without giving up your rights
Want to build practical AI skills while staying ethical and protecting your catalog? Explore focused learning paths by role and skill.
Complete AI Training: Courses by job
Complete AI Training: Latest AI courses
Your membership also unlocks:
