Paul Feig Supports Campaign Against AI Theft Amid Concerns for Creative Industries
EXCLUSIVE: Paul Feig, director of The Housemaid, has joined over 1,000 creatives in signing an open letter urging technology companies to cease the unauthorized use of copyrighted artistic works.
Feig’s endorsement supports the “Stealing Isn’t Innovation” initiative, part of the Human Artistry Campaign, which has previously garnered backing from notable figures such as Scarlett Johansson, Cate Blanchett, and Joseph Gordon-Levitt.
The signatories accuse unnamed tech giants of intellectual theft and demand ethical collaborations for accessing artistic content. This movement represents one of the most unified responses from the Hollywood community against the exploitation of artificial intelligence.
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Other notable signatories include singer-songwriter Rosanne Cash and the band Cake, as well as Sean Astin and Fran Drescher, both prominent figures within SAG-AFTRA.
The Human Artistry Campaign was formed by unions and creative organizations in response to the launch of ChatGPT in November 2022. It advocates for principles centered on human creativity, emphasizing transparency and fair remuneration for copyrighted work.
While specific AI companies were not named, McTier, a spokesperson for the campaign, noted that studios like Disney and Warner Bros. Discovery have threatened legal action against firms like Google and Midjourney for copyright infringement.
McTier, who straddles roles as an astrophysicist and creative writer, highlighted the campaign’s goal of fostering dialogue between artists and technology developers. They pointed to Disney’s partnership with OpenAI as a model for the type of collaborations that should become the norm.
The “Stealing Isn’t Innovation” website details the full list of supporters and presents a statement emphasizing the importance of America’s creative community, which plays a crucial role in driving economic growth.
The statement asserts, “While some of the biggest tech companies exploit this invaluable asset, many backed by private equity, they are using creators’ works to develop AI platforms without proper authorization or respect for copyright law.”
It concludes with a unified call to action: “Stealing our work is not innovation. It’s not progress. It’s theft – plain and simple. A better way exists. Through licensing agreements and ethical partnerships, AI companies can responsibly obtain the content they wish to use while ensuring creators’ rights are upheld.”
