Artists launch ‘Stealing Isn’t Innovation’ campaign against AI use

Around 800 artists, writers, actors and musicians have joined a new campaign calling out what they describe as large-scale theft by artificial intelligence companies. The campaign, titled Stealing Isn’t Innovation, was launched this week by the Human Artistry Campaign and targets the use of copyrighted creative work to train generative AI models without consent or payment. 

The project brings on board artists from the US and the globe and seeks to shape public perception, policy, and industry on the use of AI and intellectual property.

The list of signatories includes authors George Saunders and Jodi Picoult, actresses Cate Blanchett and Scarlett Johansson, and musicians R.E.M., Billy Corgan, and The Roots. 

The statement read by the signatories jointly criticised the large tech companies for copying a large amount of content in the development of AI while forgetting the creators who made the whole process possible.

The campaign believes that this act leads to a breakdown of trust, a degradation of creative sectors, and an influx of poor-quality content on the internet produced through AI.

The advocacy effort is supported by the Human Artistry Campaign, a coalition that includes the Recording Industry Association of America, professional sports players' unions and performers' groups, including SAG-AFTRA. Campaign messages will appear as full-page advertisements in major news outlets and across social media platforms in the coming weeks.

The campaign seeks binding licensing agreements, increased enforcement of copyright law, and the capability for creators to opt out of the use of their work in training generative AI systems. Organisers say that licensing provides a plausible way forward which supports innovation without divesting creators of control or compensation.