A.I. Spooks Writers Guild Of Great Britain Members, Who Fear Generative Systems Could Take Their Jobs
12.07.2023 - 10:35
/ deadline.com
Just like their U.S. counterparts, British writers fear an A.I. future.
The use of A.I. has been among the major sticking points in the ongoing U.S. writers strike and a WGGB survey today reveals 65% of UK scribes believe increased use of artificial intelligence will reduce their writing incomes. Nearly the same number (61%) are worried generative systems could replace their jobs.
Fear around the potential for A.I.’s use in creative areas such as screenwriting has been growing in the UK, with an early impact assessment from OpenAI suggesting poets, lyricists and creative writers were among the most exposed to risk fro the technology.
The WGGB, whose members picketed against the use of A.I. at the recent WGA solidarity protest in London, has now published an official policy position, outlining the risks and potential benefits, which include its use detecting copyright infringements.
The WGGB’s main concerns are decreased job opportunities, suppression of pay, copyright infringement, use of writers’ work without permission and lack of adequate government regulation. Eighty-one percent said writers should be paid a fee when their work is used by an A.I. system.
Though British writers believe A.I. systems are not yet complex enough to “accurately mimic the standard of writing produced by professional writers,” they expect this to be a “likely future scenario,” the WGGB wrote.
However, the union said that A.I., if used in an “ethical, transparent and responsible way,” would allow writers to diversify their income streams and sustain their careers.
The WGGB policy, titled ‘Writers and AI,’ makes several recommendations. These include
“There have been some incredible advancements in A.I., but as with any new technology we