Ben Stiller, Mark Ruffalo Among 400 Hollywood Celebs Leading AI Copyright Battle Against OpenAI, Google

A coalition of over 400 Hollywood figures, including Ben Stiller, Mark Ruffalo, and Paul McCartney, has formally voiced opposition to efforts by Google and OpenAI to loosen copyright protections for artificial intelligence training. The group submitted an open letter to the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, calling on the US government to reject proposals that would allow AI companies to train on copyrighted materials without compensation.

The letter, signed by actors, musicians, and directors such as Cate Blanchett, Guillermo del Toro, and Aubrey Plaza, argues that AI advancements should not come at the cost of creative professionals. "We firmly believe that America's global AI leadership must not come at the expense of our essential creative industries," the signatories wrote.

Hollywood Rejects AI Companies’ Arguments

The debate stems from recent submissions by OpenAI and Google, which suggest that loosening copyright restrictions would bolster the US in the AI race against China. Hollywood's response strongly disputes this claim, insisting that such exemptions would exploit the very industries that contribute significantly to the economy and culture.

"AI companies are asking to undermine this economic and cultural strength by weakening copyright protections for the films, television series, artworks, writing, music, and voices used to train AI models at the core of multi-billion dollar corporate valuations," the letter asserts.

The entertainment sector employs more than 2.3 million people and generates $229 billion in wages annually. The signatories argue that allowing AI firms to freely use copyrighted works would jeopardise this economic foundation while giving trillion-dollar tech corporations undue advantages.

Broader Impact on Knowledge Industries

The signatories stress that the copyright battle extends beyond Hollywood, affecting professionals in various fields such as publishing, photography, architecture, science, medicine, and software development. "The issue is not limited to entertainment—it impacts all of America's knowledge industries," the letter warns.

Criticism is particularly directed at the financial motivations behind Google, valued at $2 trillion, and OpenAI, estimated at over $157 billion. The letter contends that these companies seek special exemptions that would allow them to capitalise on copyrighted content while amassing substantial revenue.

"America didn't become a global cultural powerhouse by accident," the letter concludes. "Our success stems directly from our fundamental respect for IP and copyright that rewards creative risk-taking by talented and hardworking Americans from every state and territory."

The letter was submitted just before the midnight deadline on Saturday, with organisers stating that they will continue gathering additional signatures for an updated submission.

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