Scarlett Johansson has joined 700 entertainment industry figures in demanding that tech companies stop “stealing” copyrighted artistic work to train their AI models.

Johansson has put her name to the “Stealing Isn’t Innovation” movement from the Human Artistry Campaign, which also boasts Cate Blanchett and Joseph Gordon-Levitt among its supporters.

They have accused unnamed tech giants of “theft” and demanded that the companies engage in “ethical” partnerships when attempting to access artistic content. It marks one of the most coordinated backlashes against AI exploitation from the Hollywood community.

Other backers include Breaking Bad creator Vince Gilligan and Olivia Munn, star of Your Friends and Neighbors, while music artists like MGMT have also signed. The New York Times has carried ads spotlighting the campaign.

A website features the full list of signatories next to a statement, which reads: “America’s creative community is the envy of the world and creates jobs, economic growth, and exports.

“But rather than respect and protect this valuable asset, some of the biggest tech companies, many backed by private equity and other funders, are using American creators’ work to build AI platforms without authorization or regard for copyright law.

​”Artists, writers, and creators of all kinds are banding together with a simple message: Stealing our work is not innovation. It’s not progress. It’s theft – plain and simple.

“A better way exists – through licensing deals and partnerships, some AI companies have taken the responsible, ethical route to obtaining the content and materials they wish to use. It is possible to have it all. We can have advanced, rapidly developing AI and ensure creators’ rights are respected.”

Johansson’s support is notable, given that the Lost in Translation star has previously spoken out against the “misuse” of artificial intelligence. The actress threatened legal action against OpenAI in 2024 over a ChatGPT voice assistant that sounded like her own.