Writers Guild of Great Britain Introduces AI Guidelines in Response to Member Concerns.
In light of recent survey results indicating apprehension among its members, the Writers Guild of Great Britain (WGGB) has released a comprehensive policy statement titled “Writers and AI.” The document addresses the challenges posed by artificial intelligence (AI), the potential risks associated with its increasing use, and the advantages AI can offer to the writing profession, such as its potential to identify copyright infringements.
The survey conducted by the union revealed that 65 percent of respondents believed that the growing reliance on AI would lead to a decline in their writing income. Furthermore, 61 percent expressed concerns about the possibility of AI replacing their jobs.
WGGB highlighted several critical issues related to AI to address these concerns in its “Writers and AI” statement. These concerns encompassed reduced job opportunities, diminished writer compensation, copyright infringements, unauthorized usage of writers’ work, and a lack of sufficient government regulations. A significant majority, 81 percent, of survey participants agreed that writers should receive compensation when AI systems use their work.
WGGB acknowledged that although current AI systems are not yet capable of accurately replicating the quality of writing produced by professional writers, there is a foreseeable future scenario where this could become a reality. Nevertheless, WGGB firmly asserted that AI could never match the originality, authenticity, enthusiasm, and human touch that professional writers infuse into their storytelling. The union also emphasized the potential benefits of AI, such as enabling writers to diversify their income streams and sustain their writing careers.
Within the “Writers and AI” document, WGGB presented a series of recommendations to inform its future lobbying and advocacy efforts. These recommendations include:
- AI developers should obtain express permission from writers before using their work. This suggestion aligns with the perspective of 80 percent of survey respondents.
- AI developers should maintain clear and easily accessible logs documenting the information used to train their AI systems, enabling writers to verify if their work has been utilized. This proposal reflects the opinion of 82 percent of survey participants who emphasized the importance of transparency regarding data usage, including instances where writers’ work has been incorporated.
- Without human involvement, Content or decisions generated solely by AI must be distinctly labeled as such.
- In cases where AI is used to create content, AI developers should appropriately credit the authors whose work was utilized.
Additionally, 59 percent of survey respondents supported the establishment of a new independent regulator tasked with overseeing and monitoring AI expansion. WGGB advocates for the government to establish a regulatory body with jurisdiction specifically covering AI, applicable to both past and future AI development work. This measure aims to enable writers and others to assert their rights concerning work used without their knowledge or permission.
The WGGB also opposes the implementation of copyright exceptions that would enable text and data mining for commercial purposes without permission or compensation for writers’ work. Furthermore, the union calls for the availability of clear, accessible, and affordable mechanisms for writers to challenge the practices of AI developers and pursue claims related to the use of their work.
Lesley Gannon, the Deputy General Secretary of WGGB, emphasized the need to carefully weigh the risks against the benefits of AI advancements, urging that necessary safeguards are in place to protect the livelihoods of writers and the broader creative workforce. Gannon stated that regulation is crucial to safeguard workers’ rights and shield audiences from fraud and misinformation. WGGB’s proposed recommendations aim to protect and reassure the writing community while enabling them to harness the undeniable power of this technology.
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