After weeks of intense negotiations, the Writers Guild of America (WGA) strike has concluded with leaders voting unanimously to accept a new contract. Here’s a brief overview of the strike, the role AI played, and the final resolution.
Background of the Strikes
According to a recent Gallup poll, 75% of Americans believe that AI will reduce jobs. The Writers Guild of America (WGA) and the Screen Actors Guild and American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) were among those who took action. The WGA, representing writers in film, television, radio, and online media, joined forces with SAG-AFTRA, which represents over 160,000 actors, stunt performers, and other media professionals.
Who Were They Striking Against?
The Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP), representing over 350 film and television production companies including Disney, Netflix, Amazon, Warner Bros., and NBCUniversal, was the entity the WGA and SAG-AFTRA were striking against.
Main Issues of the Strike
While concerns about AI were significant, the primary issue was how streaming services handle residual payments. Writers feared that studios might use AI to create scripts, potentially replacing human jobs or reducing writers’ pay and credit by using AI-generated drafts. This concern extends to the fear that AI could be used to deny writers the credit and residuals they rely on between contracts.
SAG-AFTRA’s Concerns
For actors, the threats were more immediate. AI technology can digitally recreate entire performances, as seen with the de-aged Mark Hamill in The Book of Boba Fett. This raises significant issues around compensation and creative control, as actors fear their likenesses could be used without their consent or fair compensation.
Demands of WGA and SAG-AFTRA
Both unions called for rules to ensure AI is used collaboratively with human creatives and to guarantee fair compensation. Key demands included preventing AI from writing or rewriting literary material, ensuring AI-generated writing is not considered source material, and protecting writers’ material from being used to train AI systems. Similarly, SAG-AFTRA demanded bargaining for rights to digitally simulate performers and protections against misuse.
Response from AMPTP
The AMPTP denied intentions to use AI to create scripts or digital replicas without permission. They offered a package including wage increases and an agreement that AI-generated writing would not be considered literary material. However, the WGA found these measures insufficient.
Resolution
After 146 days, the WGA strike ended with a new contract that includes higher residual rates and protections against AI replacement. Key points of the contract state that AI cannot write or rewrite literary material, and AI-generated material will not undermine a writer’s credit or rights. Writers can use AI if they choose, but companies cannot mandate it.
SAG-AFTRA remains on strike but is set to resume negotiations with the AMPTP. The outcome of these strikes may influence policies across various industries, reflecting broader concerns about the impact of AI on jobs and labor rights.
