AI training used scripts of over 130,000 films and TV series without authors' consent: study

A new report by the British Film Institute (BFI) states that artificial intelligence models have been trained on scripts from over 130,000 films and television programs without the consent of the authors. This poses a serious threat to the creative industry and calls into question the future of intellectual property in the age of AI, writes Deadline, reports UNN.

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According to a BFI study published today, generative artificial intelligence models have been trained on materials from scripts of over 130,000 film and television projects. The authors of the report warn that this "poses a threat to the fundamental economy of the screen sector."

The document, entitled "Artificial Intelligence in the Screen Sector: Perspectives and Ways Forward", highlights the deep conflict between the rights of creators and the capabilities of new technologies. Copyright is considered the central issue, which the report calls "the dominant issue around artificial intelligence today".

The BFI claims that numerous AI models "have been trained on copyrighted materials without the permission of the rights holders and without any compensation to the authors."

As generative models learn the structure and language of storytelling - from text, images, and video - they are able to reproduce similar structures and create new content at a significantly lower cost than original works

 While such tools can support creators, they also create direct competition by learning from the same materials that professional authors have created.

The current model of training generative artificial intelligence models undermines the ability of the screen industry to generate value through the creation and commercialization of new intellectual property

Against the backdrop of these challenges, the British Parliament is considering a legislative initiative that would allow authors to opt out of the use of their works for AI training. However, this initiative has already drawn a lot of criticism. Sky CEO Dana Strong said at a Deloitte conference that "some of the consequences of opting out are impossible to control."

The report also mentions the ambivalence of sentiments in the industry: both enthusiasm and concern about AI are heard at the same time. An example is given - in the Oscar-winning film "The Brutalist", artificial intelligence was used to improve the pronunciation of Hungarian lines. But often such technologies are used imperceptibly - behind the scenes.

AI is used by almost half of US top managers in the media

According to surveys, in 2023, AI was already used by 17% of British producers, and another 40% planned to do so. Data from 2024 show that half of American top managers in the media and 40% of French film professionals also turn to generative AI. The BFI also reports that approximately 8% of applicants for government funding indicated the use of artificial intelligence when submitting projects.

While current AI systems are not yet perfect, the report emphasizes that they are becoming "increasingly suitable for creative tasks."

The stakes are high. Without a clear strategic approach, the British screen sector may lag behind global competitors and new studios that are actively implementing AI. The future of the industry depends on how effectively we can combine innovation with the protection of creators' rights

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