‘It’s theft – pure and simple’: Hundreds of artists, including Scarlett Johansson, have launched an anti-AI campaign that says ‘there is a better way’

• Hundreds of artists have launched a campaign against AI
• They say AI is stealing their work and want licensing deals instead
• Signatories include Scarlett Johansson, Cyndi Lauper and many others.

Among the many controversies surrounding the use of artificial intelligence (AI), how it trains its algorithms on artistic works without compensation is among the most controversial. This dispute has now given rise to a campaign by actors, musicians, writers and others to fight the “theft” of their works by AI.

Dubbed “Stealing Is Not Innovation,” the campaign website states that “some of the biggest tech companies…are using the work of American creators to build AI platforms without permission or compliance with copyright law.” The site continues: “This is not progress. This is theft – plain and simple.”