More than seven hundred creators from film, music, publishing and other arts have backed a campaign accusing major technology firms of harvesting copyrighted work to build artificial intelligence systems without permission. Prominent signatories include Scarlett Johansson, Cate Blanchett and Joseph Gordon-Levitt, who joined a broad coalition of writers, directors, musicians and visual artists in the initiative. (Sources: The Guardian, TheWrap)

The movement, launched under the banner "Stealing Isn't Innovation", insists that taking creators' output to train AI models without consent amounts to theft. "Stealing our work is not innovation. It is not progress. It is plainly and simply theft," the statement declares, urging companies to pursue licensing arrangements rather than unlicensed scraping. (Sources: The Guardian, TheWrap)

Supporters say the dispute goes beyond individual grievances and touches the legal and regulatory landscape now being weighed by policymakers on both sides of the Atlantic. According to reports, the campaign comes as legislators in the United States and Europe examine how copyright law should apply to AI training datasets and whether new rules or enforcement are needed. (Sources: The Guardian, Variety AU)

Backers argue the potential harm is systemic, warning that the creative industries underpin significant employment and cultural influence and are at risk if developers continue to repurpose works without transparency, remuneration or consent. The campaign frames its demands as both a defence of authorship and a defence of an entire economic ecosystem that, they say, drives growth and exports cultural power worldwide. (Sources: Variety AU, India Today)

Organisers are calling for ethical content deals and partnerships between tech firms and rights holders, pointing to existing agreements as models for how AI can advance while respecting creators' rights. The Human Artistry Campaign, which helped coordinate the drive, says licensing deals are a viable route to reconcile innovation with intellectual property protections. (Sources: TheWrap, The Independent, The Guardian)

Scarlett Johansson has been a visible critic of AI's unauthorised use of celebrity likeness and voice. Her legal team pursued a company that ran an AI-generated advertisement using her name and image, and she publicly condemned viral videos that used synthetic depictions of public figures. Reports also note her objections to an AI chatbot whose voice drew inspiration from her role in the film Her. (Sources: The Guardian 2023, India Today)

Cate Blanchett has repeatedly weighed in on the debate about technology and creativity, saying public discussion is essential and warning that "innovation without imagination is very, very dangerous." Blanchett and Joseph Gordon-Levitt previously joined hundreds of other industry figures in an open letter urging the U.S. Office of Science and Technology Policy not to erode copyright protections at the behest of AI companies. (Sources: The Guardian, The Independent, TheWrap)

The campaign brings together a wide cross-section of cultural figures , from filmmakers and actors to musicians and authors , and represents a coordinated push to compel tech firms to negotiate licences or face renewed regulatory scrutiny. Its organisers say such a direction would allow AI to develop on a foundation that recognises creative labour and legal rights. (Sources: The Independent, India Today)

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