Writer’s Guild withdraws support from film festival over artificial intelligence
A new flashpoint emerged on Tuesday in the debate over artificial intelligence and artistic expression.
The dispute involves Urbanworld, a New York festival that presents black and multicultural films, and the Writers Guild of America East, a 6,000-member union that represents writers for film, television, podcasts and digital news. In a letter sent to staff and supporters, Urbanworld founder Stacy Spikes said the guild had “withdrawn its sponsorship and participation in this year’s festival” due to its decision to add films created using AI tools.
“We are deeply disappointed,” Spikes wrote in the letter, a copy of which was seen by The New York Times. “Over the past decade, WGAE has been one of Urbanworld’s most valued partners.”
A spokesman for the guild did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Union has been among the entertainment industry’s loudest voices about the dangers of generative artificial intelligence with its own #AINeedsHumans campaign promoting worker protection and transparency.
An Urbanworld spokesman declined to disclose the financial value of the guild’s withdrawn support. Urbanworld has not released its list of sponsors for this year’s festival, which begins on October 14. Sponsors in 2025 included HBO, Warner Bros. Discovery, Netflix and the Directors Guild of America. Urbanworld website.
The festival has given a platform to Ryan Coogler, Ava DuVernay, Cord Jefferson and other filmmakers since its inception in 1997. Last month Spikes announced a new program section called AI Sidebar for directors who use generative AI and related digital tools to create their works.
“Rather than ignore these projects or force them into categories that were never designed to evaluate them, we believed a more transparent and accountable approach was to create a dedicated space where they could be viewed, discussed, and judged alongside comparable work,” Spikes wrote.
He added: “We understand why artificial intelligence has become one of the most debated issues facing the creative community. Questions around authorship, remuneration, consent, employment, creative ownership and the future of creative work deserve serious discussion.”
Festival programmers generally resist considering AI film as its own artistic category. Some festivals, including Cannes, have banned from competition films made with a heavy reliance on artificial intelligence tools. Others have shown a willingness to explore, including the Tribeca festival, which recently introduced a film created entirely with AI — no actors, no sets, no cameras — as part of its official lineup.
“We believe the answer is engagement, not absence,” Spikes said in his letter.