Hollywood A-listers have joined forces to confront the emerging AI threat to their industry, appealing directly to President Trump for protection. The unprecedented coalition of stars is sounding the alarm over tech giants trying to weaken copyright laws at the expense of American creativity – but will Trump listen?
At a glance:
• Over 400 Hollywood stars including Ben Stiller, Cate Blanchett, and Paul McCartney have signed an open letter urging Trump to protect copyright laws against AI exploitation
• Tech giants like Google and OpenAI are pushing to train AI on copyrighted works, claiming it’s necessary to compete with China
• The entertainment industry warns that weakening protections threatens 2.3 million American jobs and $230 billion in annual wages
• The letter was sent to the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy as more signatures continue to be gathered
• AI was a central issue in the 2023 Hollywood strikes, leading to studio agreements for strict AI protections
Hollywood Unites Against AI Threat
In a rare display of unity, over 400 entertainment industry stars and leaders have signed an open letter urging President Trump to stand firm in protecting America’s creative copyrights. The impressive lineup includes A-listers like Ben Stiller, Cate Blanchett, Mark Ruffalo, and music legend Paul McCartney, representing a powerful coalition against tech industry overreach.
Those are big names!
The letter directly challenges proposals from major tech companies like Google and OpenAI, who want to broaden the U.S. fair use doctrine to allow AI systems to train on copyrighted materials. These tech giants claim such access is necessary to remain competitive with Chinese AI development, but Hollywood sees it as a direct threat to intellectual property rights.
Economic Impact and American Values
The Hollywood collective emphasizes that their concern extends far beyond protecting celebrity interests. According to the letter, America’s creative industries support over 2.3 million jobs and generate more than $230 billion in annual wages, forming a critical sector of the economy that would be devastated by weakened copyright protections.
“Weakening copyright protections and allowing tech giants to exploit America’s creative and knowledge industries would threaten the world’s most vibrant creative economy,” the letter states. The stars further argue that American entertainment provides the foundation for “American democratic influence and soft power abroad.”
The intervention comes on the heels of Trump’s Executive Order aimed at reducing government control over AI and enhancing America’s global AI dominance. Hollywood’s message to the administration is clear – achieving AI leadership shouldn’t come at the expense of American creativity and jobs.
Beyond Entertainment Industry Concerns
While Hollywood stars are leading the charge, the letter emphasizes that the issue affects all knowledge-based industries across America. “Make no mistake: this issue goes well beyond the entertainment industry, as the right to train AI on all copyright-protected content impacts all of America’s knowledge industries,” the letter explains.
The entertainment industry has already demonstrated its concern about AI’s impact through strikes in 2023, which resulted in agreements with studios for strict AI protections. Now, with Trump returning to office and tech giants gaining increasing influence, industry leaders see an opportunity to secure stronger protections at the federal level.
Google has defended its position, stating in a public statement that it supports America’s existing fair use framework and believes current copyright law enables AI innovation. OpenAI has pointed to California’s SB-1047, a bill proposing a regulatory sandbox that would allow AI companies to operate with certain liability protections to maintain U.S. competitiveness.
