Hollywood, Tech Clash Over AI Copyright Laws Amid Policy, Legal Battles

Hollywood studios, guilds, and top actors like Natasha Lyonne and Disney chief Bob Iger are actively opposing the unregulated use of copyrighted works in training generative AI models, warning that unrestricted data scraping threatens creative jobs and intellectual property rights. Despite this pushback, recent U.S. court rulings have favored tech companies like Meta and OpenAI, with judges ruling that using copyrighted materials for AI training may qualify as fair use, complicating the legal landscape for creators. Major entertainment companies, including Disney, NBCUniversal, and record labels, have filed lawsuits against AI firms for unauthorized use of iconic characters and music, signaling a growing legal battle over AI-generated content. The Copyright Alliance has launched a nationwide campaign urging lawmakers to enact policies that protect creators’ rights and ensure fair compensation, emphasizing that strong intellectual property protections are vital for American innovation and competitiveness. Meanwhile, President Donald Trump’s recent firing of key Copyright Office officials amid the release of a report rejecting AI training as fair use has raised concerns about potential politicization of copyright administration during this critical period. The White House’s upcoming AI action plan will likely influence how copyright laws are applied to AI training data, intensifying tensions between the tech sector and creative industries over the future of intellectual property in AI development.