Hollywood’s writers have ended their strike after reaching a tentative agreement with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP). The Writers Guild of America (WGA) announced the agreement, and now its members will review the proposed deal before voting on its acceptance. The terms of the agreement include addressing the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in scriptwriting, better compensation for writers from streaming services, increased minimum rates for writers, and minimum staffing requirements for TV writers’ rooms.
One crucial issue that fueled the strike was the use of generative artificial intelligence in scriptwriting. The new agreement clarifies that AI is not considered a writer, and anything it generates cannot be deemed literary material. It allows writers to use AI as a tool with the company’s consent, but they cannot be forced to do so. Additionally, the agreement acknowledges the uncertainty surrounding the use of writers’ work to train AI models, leaving room for writers to assert that it is prohibited.
The compensation for writers from streaming services was also a significant concern. The new deal includes large increases to foreign streaming residual payments and a bonus based on streamer viewership. The transparency of viewership numbers is also addressed, with streaming companies agreeing to provide the Guild with the total number of hours streamed for high-budget streaming programs. Furthermore, the agreement establishes increased annual minimum rates for writers and outlines minimum staffing requirements for TV writers’ rooms.
With the strike now over for writers, the negotiations between the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) and the Screen Actors Guild – American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) continue. The article emphasizes that while progress has been made for writers, actors are still on strike.
