Writers’ Union Makes Huge Strides in Regulating AI in Hollywood!
In a groundbreaking move, the Writers Guild of America (WGA) has secured new rules around the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in the entertainment industry. Hollywood writers, who recently ended their strike, negotiated higher wages and staff minimums, but the real victory lies in the new regulations regarding AI. These rules apply to any project involving union writers and give them the power to decide whether or not to use AI in their writing process. Studios are also required to disclose if any materials given to writers were generated by AI, protecting the writers’ intellectual property.
This is a monumental achievement because it proves that AI can indeed be regulated. While tech giants often claim to welcome government intervention to avoid catastrophic consequences, the truth is that they spend billions trying to create regulations that provide legal cover while allowing for innovation. But now, the WGA has demonstrated that AI can be curbed effectively, and it’s the workers who have the firsthand experience and knowledge to do so.
Amanda Ballantyne, director of the AFL-CIO Technology Institute, highlights the importance of workers’ input in regulating AI. Unions have a history of leveraging their members’ knowledge to establish rules around safety, privacy, health, and human rights. Unions played a crucial role in the adoption of other transformative technologies like electricity, and they can provide valuable insights into managing AI. Collaborative labor models, as seen in Germany and Japan, have proven successful in increasing productivity and market share. In contrast, American companies have often resisted involving workers in decision-making processes.
To ensure that AI remains human-centered and enhances labor rather than replacing it, a bottom-up approach is necessary. Workers, with their everyday experience using AI, can inform the development of skills training that ensures a mutually beneficial relationship with new tools. The WGA’s AI deal is being carefully studied by other labor organizations, such as SAG-AFTRA, which represents striking actors. This union-led regulation sets the stage for a broader conversation about unions becoming data stewards, protecting the interests of workers and citizens and acting as a counterbalance to Big Tech and the government.
So, what do you think about the Writers Guild of America’s victory in regulating AI? Can unions play a bigger role in managing emerging technologies? Comment below and let us know your thoughts!
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