A new flashpoint emerged on Tuesday in the debate over artificial intelligence and artistic expression.
The dispute involves Urbanworld, a New York festival that showcases Black and multicultural films, and the Writers Guild of America East, a 6,000-member union that represents movie, television, podcast and digital news writers. In a letter sent to staff and supporters, Urbanworld’s founder, Stacy Spikes, said the guild had “withdrawn its sponsorship and participation in this year’s festival” over his decision to add films made with A.I. tools.
“We are deeply disappointed,” Spikes wrote in the letter, a copy of which was viewed by The New York Times. “For the past decade, the W.G.A.E. has been one of Urbanworld’s most valued partners.”
A spokesman for the guild did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The union has been among the entertainment industry’s loudest voices on the dangers of generative A.I., using its #AINeedsHumans campaign to push for worker protections and transparency.
An Urbanworld spokesman declined to disclose the financial value of the guild’s withdrawn support. Urbanworld has not revealed its sponsorship list for this year’s festival, which begins Oct. 14. Sponsors in 2025 included HBO, Warner Bros. Discovery, Netflix and the Directors Guild of America, according to the Urbanworld website.
The festival has given a platform to Ryan Coogler, Ava DuVernay, Cord Jefferson and other filmmakers since its founding in 1997. Last month, Spikes announced a new programming section called A.I. Sidebar for directors who use generative A.I. and related digital tools to create their work.
“Rather than ignore those projects or force them into categories that were never designed to evaluate them, we believed the more transparent and responsible 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 surrounding authorship, compensation, consent, employment, creative ownership and the future of creative work deserve serious discussion.”
Festival programmers have generally resisted treating A.I. filmmaking as its own artistic category. Some festivals, including Cannes, have banned from competition films made with heavy reliance on A.I. tools. Others have shown a willingness to explore, including the Tribeca Festival, which recently showcased a film created entirely with A.I. — 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.
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