11,500 Creatives, Including Thom Yorke, Kevin Bacon, and Björn Ulvaeus, Sign Letter Protesting Unlicensed AI Training

Oct 22, 2024, 04:25 PM

Over 11,500 creatives, including Radiohead's Thom Yorke, actress Julianne Moore, novelist Kazuo Ishiguro, actor Kevin Bacon, and musicians Robert Smith of The Cure and Björn Ulvaeus of ABBA, have signed an open letter protesting the unlicensed use of their work to train generative AI systems. Organized by Ed Newton-Rex, the letter condemns the practice as "a major, unjust threat to the livelihoods of the people behind those works, and must not be permitted." Organizations such as Penguin Random House, Universal Music Group, SAG-AFTRA, and the Recording Industry Association of America have also joined the statement. The Human Artistry Campaign is supporting the initiative, highlighting widespread concern in the creative industries over the impact of AI on intellectual property rights.