Around 800 creatives have joined a new campaign to protest the unauthorized use of their work by artificial intelligence companies. Mia Sato reports for The Verge that authors, actors, and musicians are calling the practice “theft at a grand scale.” The coalition includes famous names like Scarlett Johansson, Cate Blanchett, and the band R.E.M.
The campaign, titled “Stealing Isn’t Innovation,” criticizes technology firms for copying massive amounts of content without payment. Organizers argue that this practice creates an ecosystem filled with misinformation and low-quality “AI slop.” They warn that such developments could lead to the collapse of AI models and threaten international competitiveness.
The Human Artistry Campaign leads this advocacy effort. This group represents various organizations, including the RIAA and SAG-AFTRA. The campaign demands clear licensing agreements and a robust enforcement environment. It also seeks the right for artists to opt out of having their work used for training generative AI models.
This movement arrives as the political landscape shifts. President Donald Trump and his allies are currently working to limit how individual states regulate the AI industry. Meanwhile, some tech companies and publishers are already moving toward licensing deals. These agreements allow AI startups to use protected work for training and remixing in exchange for payment. Digital publishers have also backed standards to block their content from appearing in AI search results.
