Writers Guild of America Strike Ends After 148 Days, Sets Precedent for AI Protections

In a historic move, the Writers Guild of America's strike, just shy of becoming the longest in union history, finally concluded last week. Throughout the 148-day standoff, the looming threat of artificial intelligence (AI) as a co-worker became a pressing concern for all members, from authors to coders to architects. Negotiations over AI language in the contract went down to the wire, reaching a resolution just before the announcement of a tentative agreement.

The newly signed contract contains important provisions regarding AI use. It forbids the use of AI to write or rewrite scripts, requires studios to disclose any AI-generated material, and protects writers from having their work used to train AI without their consent. Additionally, scriptwriters are now allowed to use AI for their own purposes. This groundbreaking agreement in Hollywood has the potential to set a precedent in industries worldwide, at a time when many fear job displacement due to generative AI.

However, challenges lie ahead, particularly regarding the enforcement of these provisions and the responsibility of disclosing AI contributions to scripts.

- CyberBeat