AI Threat: Kevin Bacon, Kate McKinnon Warn of ‘Unjust’

Thousands of creatives, including famous actors like Kevin Bacon and Kate McKinnon, along with other actors, authors, and musicians, have signed a statement warning that the unpermitted use of copyrighted materials to train AI models threatens the people who made those creative works. 11,500 names are on the list of signatories so far.

Here is the one-sentence statement:

“The unlicensed use of creative works for training generative AI is a major, unjust threat to the livelihoods of the people behind those works, and must not be permitted.”

The statement was published by Fairly Trained, a group advocating for fair training data use by AI companies. Fairly Trained CEO Ed Newton-Rex told The Guardian that generative AI companies need “people, compute, and data” to build their models, and while they spend “vast sums” on the former two, they “expect to take the third – training data – for free.” Newton-Rex founded Fairly Trained after he quit Stability AI, accusing generative AI of “exploiting creators.”

There are also some notable names not appearing among the signatories. Scarlett Johansson, who had a high-profile spat with OpenAI after accusations it modeled GPT-4o’s voice after her, isn’t on the list. Neither are actors like Dame Judi Dench and John Cena, who signed up to have Meta AI’s voice chat system replicate them.

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The unauthorized use of creative works for training generative AI presents a significant threat to the livelihoods of the creators, as highlighted by the signed statement from thousands of creatives, including well-known names like Kevin Bacon and Kate McKinnon. With over 11,500 signatories expressing concern, the impact of this issue is undeniable.

Statement on Unlicensed Use of Creative Works for AI Training

“The unlicensed use of creative works for training generative AI is a major, unjust threat to the livelihoods of the people behind those works, and must not be permitted.”

Fairly Trained Advocacy and CEO Insight

The statement was published by Fairly Trained, a group advocating for fair training data use by AI companies. Fairly Trained CEO Ed Newton-Rex shared insights with The Guardian, emphasizing the necessity for generative AI companies to ethically acquire the resources needed to develop their models. He criticized the common practice of obtaining training data for free, highlighting the exploitation of creators in the process. Newton-Rex’s personal experience led him to establish Fairly Trained, departing from Stability AI due to ethical concerns regarding generative AI practices.

Notable Absences Among Signatories

Despite the widespread support, some prominent figures are notably absent from the list of signatories. For instance, Scarlett Johansson, who previously clashed with OpenAI over the unauthorized use of her likeness in GPT-4o, is not included. Similarly, actors like Dame Judi Dench and John Cena, who consented to Meta AI replicating their voices, have also chosen not to sign.

Conclusion

The collaborative effort to address the unauthorized use of creative works for AI training reflects the growing concern within the creative community. Fairly Trained’s advocacy serves as a crucial voice in promoting ethical practices and protecting the rights of creators in the digital landscape.

FAQs

Q: Why is unauthorized use of creative works for AI training a concern?

A: Unauthorized use of creative works poses a significant threat to the livelihoods of creators, as their intellectual property is exploited without consent.

Q: What led to the establishment of Fairly Trained?

A: Fairly Trained was founded to advocate for fair training data use by AI companies and address the exploitation of creators in the generative AI industry. CEO Ed Newton-Rex’s experiences played a pivotal role in the organization’s inception.

Credit: www.theverge.com