The latest advances in Artificial Intelligence have organizations and businesses around the world – and in every industry and sector – grappling to understand the potential impact that AI applications will have on operations, balance sheets and ordinary working life.

AI is a tool. It cannot “create” or originate artistic work, nor can it replace a human as the author of such work. As with any new tool or technology, AI no doubt presents both risks and opportunities. Innovation can carve out new creative paths or herald windfalls we’ve yet to imagine. But as a labour organization representing over 6,000 human creators, craftspeople, logistical and technical artists in the screen-based industry, the Guild’s core mission is clear: In every undertaking, we will advocate for and defend the economic interests of our members and their creative and workplace rights, including the legal and tangible reality that original works are created by people, not algorithms.

To achieve this, we must not only contend with the challenges of the day, but remain at the absolute forefront on the potential future impacts that Artificial Intelligence or Generative AI may have in the short- and long-term – on all caucuses, in all areas of work and in every region of our Guild.

As such, DGC National’s “AI Working Group” will help guide and structure the efforts of the Guild in keeping abreast of technological developments; monitoring legal, regulatory and ethical concerns; assessing possible threats to work or workplace rights or safety; seeking out training and professional development to keep our members on the cutting edge of modern filmmaking; gauging any potential risk to creative rights or narrative sovereignty and – ultimately – representing the interests of our members on these issues in bargaining, policy making and whatever may be required.

As we embark on this complex task, this working group will be guided in its task by four key principles:

1. Defend the World-Class Work of DGC Members: AI is a tool and cannot create or originate artistic work, any more than any other piece of equipment or software can. That job belongs to the talented key creatives, craftspeople and crew members in both our Guild and other organizations. AI should never be used to displace areas of work covered by our collective agreements. DGC work is for DGC members.

2. Support & Champion All DGC Categories: It is vital the Guild assess and anticipate potential risks or impacts of AI in all the job categories we represent. This includes the use of AI in combination with other technologies like virtual production, visual effects, design, and pre-visualization software. We must investigate and identify potential economic or creative impacts on all caucuses – from office work, logistics, accounting and production schedules to the art department, directing and post.

3. Protect Rights & Intellectual Property: Under Canadian law, all copyrighted works must have an author (or a set of co-authors) and an author must be a human being. The Guild must defend this as an absolute, fundamental principle. Increased use of AI cannot be used to weaken or distort authorial rights, either in law, policy or public perception.

4. Demand Ethical Use & Transparency: AI raises a host of practical ethical questions that might affect the day-to-day work of our members in years to come – everything from plagiarism and copyright infringement to known and measurable discrimination against underrepresented groups to human and workplace safety. The Guild must demand that any use or method of AI deployed in our industry be ethical, and that no DGC Member ever be asked to advance or enable unethical AI practices.