The clearest public evidence of how artificial intelligence will be used in Hollywood film and television is written into union contracts. The Writers Guild of America (WGA) agreement of 2023 says AI is not a writer and cannot be assigned literary material, and the 2026 SAG-AFTRA TV/Theatrical agreement, ratified in June 2026, restricts the use of synthetic performers and digital replicas of actors. Studio plans and tool marketing are weaker guides than these signed terms.
Key takeaways
- The 2023 WGA agreement treats AI software as a tool, never an author, so AI text cannot be credited as literary material.
- Studios must disclose AI-generated material given to writers, and no writer can be forced to use AI tools.
- The 2026 WGA contract covers four years starting May 2, 2026, and adds a notice duty if studios license scripts to train generative AI.
- SAG-AFTRA members ratified a new TV/Theatrical agreement by 91.42 percent, effective July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2030.
- Contract text sets minimum standards for covered productions; it does not predict how many films will use AI.
Why contracts are the best evidence
Predictions about AI-made movies tend to come from technology demonstrations. Contracts are different: they bind studios, they were negotiated by people who had reason to read the fine print, and they have dates. Two unions covering writers and screen actors renegotiated their master agreements in 2023 and again in 2026, and each time AI was a central item. What the documents allow, restrict, and leave open describes the near-term role of AI in scripted film and television more accurately than a forecast does.
What the 2023 writers' agreement says
The WGA's Know Your Rights page on artificial intelligence lists the terms of the 2023 Minimum Basic Agreement. Both traditional and generative AI are excluded from the definition of a writer, so what they produce is not literary material. If a company gives a writer AI-generated material, it is not treated as assigned or source material, and it cannot be used to disqualify the writer from separated rights. Writers may use AI when the company consents, but a company cannot require a writer to use it. Companies must say when material they hand over came from AI, and the Guild reserved the right to argue that training AI on writers' work is barred by the agreement or by law.
Both current agreements run to 2030, so these are the latest terms as of October 2026 and no new round of bargaining is due before then. These terms govern covered work. They do not stop a studio from using AI in areas the contract does not address, such as visual effects, previsualization, or marketing.
What changed in 2026
A tentative WGA deal was announced on April 4, 2026. According to Screen Daily, the ratification count was 4,282 yes and 456 no, from 4,738 voters among more than 11,000 members. The agreement is a four-year term, a year longer than usual. It keeps the 2023 protections and adds a requirement that studios give the Guild written notice before licensing writers' scripts, or projects based on them, to train generative AI systems; the Guild may then ask to discuss the license and writers' compensation.
For actors, the SAG-AFTRA National Board approved a tentative TV/Theatrical agreement on May 11, 2026. Trade coverage reports that it builds on earlier AI provisions: producers need a strong reason to use a synthetic performer in a role a human would otherwise play, unless it adds significant additional value to the production; producers need an articulable business reason before scanning someone to create a digital replica; digital replicas cannot be used to cross a picket line during a strike; and minors receive added protections. Members ratified it with 91.42 percent in favor, with voting closing June 4, 2026.
Side-by-side summary
| Item | Writers (WGA) | Screen actors (SAG-AFTRA) |
|---|---|---|
| Current agreement term | Four years from May 2, 2026 | July 1, 2026 to June 30, 2030 |
| Ratification result reported | 4,282 yes, 456 no | 91.42 percent in favor |
| Core AI rule | AI is not a writer; disclosure of AI-generated material to writers | Limits on synthetic performers; reason required to scan for a digital replica |
| 2026 addition reported | Notice before licensing scripts for AI training | Added protections for minors and limits on replicas during strikes |
The SAG-AFTRA terms above come from trade press summaries of the tentative agreement, because the union's own pages could not be opened by the tools used for this article. The full contract text is the authoritative source for exact wording.
What these terms do not settle
Contract language covers union productions in the United States and does not decide copyright questions. Whether AI training on films is lawful, and who owns AI-assisted output, are matters for courts and the US Copyright Office. Productions outside these agreements, including many independent and non-US projects, are not bound by them. The documents also say little about the quality of AI tools, so claims that AI can replace a full crew remain unverified.
FAQ
Can a studio use AI to write a screenplay under the WGA agreement?
The agreement says AI is not a writer, and AI-generated material given to a writer is not source material. Companies may not require writers to use it, and they must disclose AI-generated content they provide.
Does the SAG-AFTRA deal ban digital replicas?
No. Reported terms set conditions, including an articulable business reason for scanning, consent rules, and limits on use during strikes, rather than a ban.
Do these contracts apply to films made in Canada?
Not automatically. They cover productions signatory to the US agreements. Canadian productions may be bound by separate union agreements, which this article does not review.
Did the 2026 writers' deal change the rule that AI is not a writer?
Reporting says the 2026 contract keeps the 2023 protections and adds the licensing notice requirement. The full 2026 text was not reviewed here.
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- OpenAI and its role in AI development
- DeepSeek and its models
- Baidu's Ernie Bot chatbot
- Beta Character AI chat app
More in AI Tools and Industry.
Last verified: October 2026
Sources
- Artificial Intelligence, Know Your Rights, Writers Guild of America West, page dated December 18, 2025
- Hollywood studios reach a tentative agreement with writers union, NPR via OPB, April 6, 2026
- Writers Guild of America members ratify new four-year deal, Screen Daily, April 25, 2026
- SAG-AFTRA national board approves TV/theatrical deal, membership to vote on ratification, SHOOT, May 12, 2026
- SAG-AFTRA members approve 2026 TV/Theatrical contracts, Senal News, June 2026