The Author's Guild Advocates for Sensible Policies in the Age of Artificial Intelligence

As artificial intelligence (AI) continues to make significant strides in various industries, including literature and journalism, the Author's Guild, a prestigious organization representing authors' interests, has stepped forward to safeguard the future of literature and creative economies. In an era where generative AI is gaining prominence, the Guild is advocating for the implementation of sensible policies and regulations to protect writers' rights and ensure fair compensation for their works. You can read more here: https://authorsguild.org/advocacy/artificial-intelligence/

The Guild's efforts revolve around key principles, including consent, compensation, transparency, and labeling AI-generated content.

• Consent for the Use of Writers' Works in Generative AI - One of the core principles put forth by the Author's Guild is the requirement for explicit permission from authors for the use of their works in training generative AI. This policy aims to ensure that authors maintain control over how their creations are utilized, especially in the development of AI algorithms designed to generate new content.
• Fair Compensation for Authors - In line with their mission to protect authors' interests, the Guild advocates for fair compensation to be provided to authors who willingly allow their works to be used in the training of generative AI systems. This policy seeks to establish a framework that acknowledges and rewards authors for their contribution to the AI development process.
• Transparency Obligations for AI Developers - The Guild emphasizes the need for AI developers to disclose the specific works they use to train their AI systems. Transparency is crucial in providing authors with insights into how their creations are being utilized and ensuring that their intellectual property rights are respected.
• Permission and Compensation for Use in Outputs - Authors should be given the right to grant permission and receive compensation when their works are used in AI-generated outputs. This includes instances where their names, identities, or titles of their works are used in AI-generated prompts. The Guild proposes the establishment of new economic rights under copyright law or a sui generis right to protect authors' interests in these situations.
• Labeling AI-Generated Content - To promote transparency and inform readers, the Author's Guild proposes that AI-generated content be labeled as such. Additionally, platforms, publishers, and marketplaces should identify when a significant portion of a written work (e.g., more than 10–20 percent) has been generated by AI. This policy empowers readers to distinguish between human-authored and AI-generated content.
• Protecting Literary Works in Publishing and Freelance Agreements - The Guild urges publishers to incorporate protective clauses in their agreements to maintain the quality of literary works. These clauses should prohibit the unauthorized use of authors' works for training AI, the compulsory use of generative AI in an author's creative process, AI-based narration for audiobooks, and AI-driven translation of an author's work.

The Author's Guild has been actively involved in legal and policy discussions concerning AI and copyright. It has taken the initiative to convene a coalition of creator groups to educate members of Congress and their staff on the potential implications of generative AI programs on the literary and creative economies. By engaging in these discussions, the Guild aims to influence the development of fair and balanced regulations.

In an age where AI technology is becoming increasingly prevalent in the creative domain, the Author's Guild stands at the forefront, advocating for policies that protect authors' rights and ensure the vitality of literature and journalism. Through the principles of consent, compensation, transparency, and labeling, the Guild seeks to strike a balance between technological advancements and the preservation of creative integrity. By collaborating with policymakers and industry stakeholders, the Author's Guild endeavors to shape a future where authors' contributions to AI development are valued and respected.