LOS ANGELES:
Hundreds of Hollywood stars, including Ben Stiller, Cate Blanchett, and Cynthia Erivo, have called on the Trump administration to safeguard film, television, and music copyrights against the growing influence of big tech and artificial intelligence (AI).
In an open letter signed by over 400 actors, directors, and artists, the entertainment industry pushed back against tech giants like Google and OpenAI, which argue that their AI models require access to a wide range of copyrighted material to remain competitive, particularly against Chinese rivals.
The letter warns that “weakening copyright protections” and permitting tech companies to “exploit America’s creative and knowledge industries” would jeopardize “the world’s most vibrant creative economy.”
The US entertainment sector supports more than 2.3 million jobs, generating approximately $230 billion in annual wages, and serves as “the foundation for American democratic influence and soft power abroad,” the letter emphasizes.
This appeal follows an executive order signed by former President Donald Trump in January, which aimed to reduce “unnecessary government control” over AI and strengthen “America’s global AI dominance.” The White House had invited input from companies and stakeholders on the matter.
Google and OpenAI have argued that unrestricted access to copyrighted content is essential for training their AI models. They caution that without such access, American companies could fall behind competitors in countries like China, which are rapidly advancing in AI development.
“If Chinese developers have unfettered access to data and American companies are left without fair use access, the race for AI is effectively over,” OpenAI stated, highlighting China’s progress with models like DeepSeek.
AI has become a critical issue in Hollywood, where studios and producers are exploring its potential to reduce costs. However, many creatives fear that its widespread use could lead to job losses and a decline in content quality.
“Make no mistake: this issue goes well beyond the entertainment industry, as the right to train AI on all copyright-protected content impacts all of America’s knowledge industries,” the letter asserts.
The Hollywood coalition’s letter underscores the broader implications of AI development, urging the government to balance innovation with the protection of intellectual property rights to preserve the integrity of creative industries.
