Why creatives need a new alliance to face the existential threat of AI

The creative industries have not yet found a collective and practical response to the existential threats presented by AI tools such as AI image generators. Over the last two years, AI and big technology companies have challenged the existing conventions and thinking surrounding copyright and the ownership of art, and thus more pressingly how money is made from creativity. The recently launched Creative Origin Alliance has been formed to give creators and artists a collective voice to protect their interests in the AI era.

Creators, AI and Big Tech: the story so far

In the last six months, we have seen several major controversies surrounding big tech companies using creators’ work to train generative AI models, without consent, and at the same time we have seen a growing number of resisting voices.

A recent example of this was the case of Instagram, whose parent company Meta confirmed that it had been training their AI image generator using public Instagram images. Photographers and other creators who have long used the platform to exhibit their work were furious and viewed it as a betrayal, especially since Meta did not get their consent.  

Isabelle Doran of The Association of Photographers in the U.K. summed up the concerns of the creative community in a May interview, accusing Meta of exploiting professional photographers' works for their generative AI program 'Imagine with Meta AI' without regard for the impact on the photographers and image-makers who helped build their social media empire.

The backlash eventually grew into collected acts of resistance. For example, 130,000 users re-shared a message on Instagram telling the company they do not consent to it using their data, and creators on other forums such as Reddit shared information on how it was possible to opt out of having their data shared. These protests illustrated that there is a path to fight back.

The Creative Origin Alliance

Carrying on this spirit, the Creative Origin Alliance was formed on 17 July by stakeholders from the tech industry, legal, policy, and the creative community. It aims to be a transparent and democratic alliance focused on setting guidelines for AI ethics and representing the creative community.

Some might be aware of existing organizations with similar missions, such as most prominently the Coalition for Content Provenance and Authenticity (C2PA), but they are much more weighted toward the news media.

Strength in Unity

We all agree that AI is going to transform entire industries radically, and it is the core belief of the Creative Origin Alliance that artists and creatives have just as much right to a voice at the table in managing these policy changes as Elon Musk or any other tech leaders. 

One of the main goals of the Creative Origin Alliance is to help creatives achieve the technical and legal literacy needed to engage and respond to big tech. We will accomplish this through workshops with museums, galleries, and cultural organizations, providing education on generative AI and how to navigate the current situation.

By coming together with a shared voice that spans not only the creative industries and arts but also tech companies that want to make change, we have the gravitas to not only engage big tech but also lawmakers in the USA, UK, and the European Union. Our goal ultimately is not to fight with big tech, but to find a way to work productively together. 

This is just a starting point, but we believe that the challenges are not insurmountable. The Creative Origin Alliance is still in its fledgling stages, and we will have a full manifesto prepared in September but we are eager to speak to anyone who would like to be involved or needs more information.