The Writers Guild of America (WGA) and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) reached a tentative agreement last week including several AI-related protections.
While some of the AI rules are specific to Hollywood, experts said the overall debate and power the agreement gives workers could translate into other labor battles beyond the scope of television and movies.
The deal between writers and studios comes amid growing concerns over the risks AI technology poses to workers.
But WGA leaders weren't trying to set a precedent — they were just seeking to protect their workers from anticipated threats over the next three years, said John August, a member of the WGA negotiating committee.
August said the fact that this battle emerged first with the writer's guild was a "fluke of timing."
"This was the first time AI has come up in our negotiations and as far as we know, any labor organization's negotiations," August told the Hill.
Hollywood writers will have significant influence over when generative AI tools can be used for television and movie scripts, according to a summary released by the WGA.
Writers have the right to choose to use AI "if the company consents and provided that the writer follows applicable company policies," according to the summary.
A studio, however, cannot force a writer to use AI.
The agreement gives union members "so much say over how that technology is going to be used," said Sharon Block, a professor and executive director of the Center for Labor and a Just Economy at Harvard Law School.
Read more in a full report at TheHill.com.
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