Hundreds of film, music and publishing figures have signed on to a new Human Artistry Campaign initiative arguing that AI systems should not be trained on creators’ work without permission. The effort, titled “Stealing Isn’t Innovation,” launched Thursday and calls for licensing arrangements and other consent-based options for creators.
The Human Artistry Campaign, a coalition of creator groups and industry organizations advocating for creator protections in the age of artificial intelligence, launched a new initiative Thursday titled “Stealing Isn’t Innovation.” (thewrap.com)
In campaign language published alongside the launch, organizers argue that the United States’ creative sector “creates jobs, economic growth and exports,” but that “some of the biggest tech companies, many backed by private equity and other funders,” are using creators’ work to build AI systems “without authorization or regard for copyright law.” (dailywire.com)
The campaign’s central message is blunt: “Stealing our work is not innovation. It’s not progress. It’s theft — plain and simple.” (dailywire.com)
Support for the initiative spans multiple creative industries. Publicly reported signatories include actors Scarlett Johansson, Cate Blanchett, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Fran Drescher, Kristen Bell, Olivia Munn and Sean Astin, along with television creator Vince Gilligan. (dailywire.com) Music artists named as supporters include Cyndi Lauper and the band R.E.M., among others. (dailywire.com) Authors listed among supporters include Jodi Picoult and Jonathan Franzen. (dailywire.com)
On the scale of support, outlets and participating organizations described the effort as having “more than 700” supporters, while other reporting said the total rose to “over 800” by Thursday. (dailywire.com)
The campaign urges AI companies to pursue consent-based approaches, including licensing deals and partnerships with creators and rightsholders. It also argues creators should have meaningful choices about whether their work is included in AI training and related uses. (dailywire.com)
In a statement cited by The Daily Wire as being reported by The Hollywood Reporter, Human Artistry Campaign senior advisor Dr. Moiya McTier said, “Real innovation comes from the human motivation to change our lives,” while warning that some AI development is “endangering artists’ careers” and using creative work “without authorization” to generate large corporate returns. (dailywire.com)
The launch comes amid continued debate across Hollywood and other creative fields over how rapidly advancing generative AI should be developed and deployed—an argument that has intensified as some creators and companies explore partnerships while others push for stricter guardrails around likeness, compensation and copyright. (dailywire.com)
