Andor Creator's Decision Against Script Publication Due to AI Concerns

The showrunner of Andor, Tony Gilroy, revealed in an interview that he has decided against publishing the scripts of the widely praised series. This decision comes despite having a substantial collection of 1,500 pages ready for release. Gilroy expressed that his main concern is that these scripts could be used as training material for artificial intelligence systems.

During an Emmy event in 2023, Gilroy discussed plans to create a free website that would showcase all the scripts and concept art from Andor, according to journalist Jeff Goldsmith. He shared, “I wanted to do it. We put it together. It’s really cool. I’ve seen it, I loved it. AI is the reason we’re not.” He further elaborated, “I mean, terribly sadly, it’s just too much of an X-ray and too easily absorbed. Why help the fucking robots anymore than you can? So, it was an ego thing. It was vanity that makes you want to do it, and the downside is real. So, vanity loses.”

Gilroy’s choice reflects growing anxiety within the artistic community regarding the potential misuse of their work by AI systems, which could ultimately replace human creators. Other notable filmmakers, such as Christopher Nolan, have voiced similar concerns, citing the lack of accountability in AI as a “terrifying possibility.” Meanwhile, Charlie Brooker, the creator of Black Mirror, criticized the quality of a script generated by ChatGPT as “shit.”

Despite these worries from creators, major film studios continue to form partnerships with AI companies. For instance, last September, Lionsgate began working with AI startup Runway to develop a machine-learning model utilizing materials from its film and television catalog. Shortly after, it was reported that Disney established a new internal team dedicated to coordinating the company's efforts in AI and mixed reality. Disney's CEO, Bob Iger, has encouraged embracing AI as a means to enhance storytelling.

In 2023, tensions escalated in Hollywood, leading to significant strikes by creative unions like WGA and SAG-AFTRA. Both organizations protested against the potential of AI-written scripts displacing human writers and the unauthorized digital duplication of actors. As a result, these unions successfully ratified new contracts that include vital protections against AI, although these contracts are set to expire within a year and will require further negotiation. With union backing, California Governor Gavin Newsom enacted two laws meant to protect performers from unauthorized AI-generated replicas in September.

As AI technology continues to evolve, the demand for training data has skyrocketed, making copyrighted materials such as scripts and books attractive targets for AI developers. This has triggered numerous legal battles, including a lawsuit by The New York Times against OpenAI for copyright infringement. Additionally, a group of prominent writers, including Game of Thrones author George R.R. Martin, has filed a complaint against OpenAI, asserting that their works were used without authorization to train AI models. Other authors are pursuing legal action against Anthropic for similar reasons. AI companies often argue that their training practices fall under legal fair use, but this issue is still being debated in courts.

In the end, as Gilroy aptly summarized, it raises the question: why assist the robots more than necessary?

Andor, AI, Hollywood