International Writing Guilds Set Out ‘Ethical Framework’ for AI

International writers guilds representing 67,000 professional screen writers across the globe are collaborating on developing an “ethical framework” for the use of AI in screenwriting.

The Federation of Screenwriters in Europe (FSE) and the International Affiliation of Writers Guilds (IAWG) have set out five principles on AI in scriptwriting, passing a joint resolution that will be binding on their member guilds in countries including North America, Europe, India, Israel, Korea, New Zealand and South Africa.

FSE represents 32 organization from 26 European countries while IAWG is made up of 14 members from 12 countries including WGA East and WGA West.

The five principles set out that only writers are capable of creating “literary material” and that large language models/AI cannot be used to replace writers; ensuring transparency around the use of AI-generated material if it is used to perform any writing service on a writer’s work (e.g. polishing/re-writing); introducing explicit consent on writers’ intellectual property being used to train AI; ensuring AI cannot be entitled to authors’ rights or copyright; and introducing fair remuneration where writers’ IP is include in LLMs or AI programs.

“While we applaud the work of the EU to enact the AI Act, there are unresolved issues with respect to the unauthorized use of our intellectual property for training large language models, and uncertainty regarding authorship and copyright of machine-generated script material,” said Carolin Otto, a German screenwriter and president of FSE. “We intend to voice our concerns in both national and global policy arenas, as well as develop standard language film and television writers can demand in their contracts.”

Irish screenwriter and IAWG chair Jennifer Davidson added: “The members of the IAWG seek to build on the hard-won protections our sister guilds in America, the WGAE and the WGAW, were able to achieve during their strike: namely that it should be a tool to enhance our writing process, not diminish the value of our work or replace us. Last year, we campaigned at UNESCO and this year we will take our position to WIPO, support each other during collective bargaining, and invite representatives of the tech community to the 6th World Conference of Screenwriters in Galway.”