At the Annecy Animation Film Festival this Thursday, a collective consisting of international animation, screenwriting, and acting guilds organized a demonstration to express their concerns over the impact of generative AI on their fields and on artistic creativity overall.
The protest saw the participation of approximately 150 individuals at Le Paquier, a grassy area in front of the Bonlieu National Theater, a central venue of the festival. The demonstrators waved guild flags and displayed banners denouncing the use of AI technology.
The topic of AI and generative AI has been a prominent issue at this year’s Annecy festival. Many in the animation community are apprehensive about the implications of AI for their creative expression, professional skills, and job security. Meanwhile, a smaller, growing faction is pushing for the industry to adopt this new technology.
Lauri Sanders, a Belgian director and artist in charge of the AI task force for Belgium’s animation union ABRACA, delivered a speech outlining their concerns and stipulations regarding AI.
An excerpt from the speech criticized generative AI as a problematic and costly imitator, stating, “Generative AI is not a tool, it’s not effective, nor is it economical. It’s a flawed and destructive copier that operates expensively.” (See below for the full statement).
Over 20 guilds from various creative industries have endorsed the statement, including the UK’s Bectu, Ireland’s GWUI, the US’s The Animation Guild, and several French organizations such as La Guilde and Syndicat des Scénaristes.
The statement also demands measures concerning consent for the use of artists’ works in training AI, as well as compensation and control over how their creations are subsequently utilized.
The initiative for this protest and the associated declaration was led by Les Intervalles, a French organization combating abuse and discrimination within the animation sector.
Milo Hustache-Mathieu, a French actor, animator, and member of SPIAC-CGT, addressed the crowd, describing the protest as a landmark event. He highlighted the importance of international solidarity among workers, despite differing conditions across countries.
Speakers at the event included UK animator Howard Wimshurst, who emphasized the significance of solidarity and cautioned against the exploitative potential of AI technology.
Wimshurst also criticized some industry voices who describe AI merely as a tool necessary for progress, warning against their motives and the broader implications of adopting AI technology without restraint.
Here’s the full statement:
This statement was composed and supported by a collective of international Animation Unions, federations, and organisations calling for action in regards to the usage of generative Artificial Intelligence and its destructive impact, not only on the global animation industry and the craft itself, but also on everyone who is employed by it, our culture and our planet.
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