The hall at Stanford University was packed with attendees from across the creative and legal sectors.
There were a variety of expert witnesses, including Danny Lin, an animator and president of The Animation Guild (Local 839). Lin said in her testimony that she saw the creative sectors of Hollywood “bleeding out before her very eyes” due to the industry’s increased reliance on generative AI.
Mark Grey, copyright counsel at Open AI, insisted that AI functions as an assistive tool for creative professionals rather than a product that is replacing them.
If AB-412 passes, it will force AI developers to be transparent about their use of copyright materials. However, many companies claim trade secrecy rights, which could be a potential loophole.
The bill heads to the State Senate next.
