Hollywood opposes Google, Open AI; writes to Trump

Hollywood's A-listers have united in a powerful stand against tech giants Google and OpenAI, urging the Trump administration to protect copyright laws from potential exploitation by artificial intelligence companies. 

Over 400 celebrities, including Ben Stiller, Paul McCartney, Aubrey Plaza, and Olivia Wilde, have signed an open letter to the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, expressing their concerns about proposals that could weaken copyright protections.

The letter comes in response to recent submissions from OpenAI and Google to the U.S. government, which argue for more relaxed copyright regulations to train AI models. These tech companies claim that such measures would strengthen America's competitive edge in AI development against countries like China.

However, the Hollywood signatories strongly reject this premise. They argue that weakening copyright protections would "freely exploit America's creative and knowledge industries" despite the substantial revenues and available funds of companies like Google and OpenAI. The letter emphasizes that the entertainment industry supports over 2.3 million American jobs and contributes $229 billion in wages annually, while also providing "the foundation for American democratic influence and soft power abroad."

The celebrities assert that there is "no reason" to weaken or eliminate copyright protections to help AI models improve. They warn that the issue extends beyond entertainment, potentially affecting all of America's knowledge industries, including writers, publishers, photographers, scientists, architects, engineers, designers, doctors, and software developers.

This Hollywood-led initiative highlights the growing tension between the tech and creative industries as AI technology rapidly advances. The letter underscores the importance of maintaining a balance between innovation and protecting the rights of creators.