Los Angeles, January 22 (.) Actress Scarlett Johansson has joined an influential coalition of more than 700 entertainment industry professionals in a robust denunciation of major artificial intelligence companies, accusing them of misappropriating copyrighted artistic material to train AI models without authorisation.
Johansson has put her name to the “Stealing Isn’t Innovation” movement from the Human Artistry Campaign, which also boasts Cate Blanchett and Joseph Gordon-Levitt among its supporters, reports DEADLINE.
They have accused unnamed tech giants of “theft” and demanded that the companies engage in “ethical” partnerships when attempting to access artistic content. It marks one of the most coordinated backlashes against AI exploitation from the Hollywood community.
The roster also includes Breaking Bad creator Vince Gilligan and Olivia Munn, star of Your Friends and Neighbors, while music artists like MGMT have also signed. The New York Times has carried ads spotlighting the campaign.
The campaign has been amplified through print advertisements in The New York Times, underscoring its industry-wide resonance.
A website features the full list of signatories next to a statement, which reads: “America’s creative community is the envy of the world and creates jobs, economic growth, and exports.
“But rather than respect and protect this valuable asset, some of the biggest tech companies, many backed by private equity and other funders, are using American creators’ work to build AI platforms without authorisation or regard for copyright law.”
Artists, writers, and creators of all kinds are banding together with a simple message: “Stealing our work is not innovation. It’s not progress. It’s theft – plain and simple”.
It accuses certain tech companies of appropriating artists’ work without consent or regard for copyright law and stresses that responsible AI development is possible through licensing and collaboration.
Johansson’s participation is particularly notable given her previous stance on AI misuse. In 2024, she publicly opposed OpenAI after a ChatGPT voice feature closely mimicked her own voice, reportedly threatening legal action. . . .