Hollywood writers recently made waves when they went on strike, bringing film and television productions to a halt. While Americans may be missing out on their favorite shows, they may benefit from the negotiations more than they realize.

According to a new survey, over half of Americans believe that Congress should take steps to regulate development and usage of artificial intelligence. Data from the Tech Oversight Projectrevealed that 54 percent of registered voters believe Congress should take “swift action” to restrict the technology so that privacy is protected, which could provide “maximum benefit to society with minimal risks." Only 15 percent said that limits would suppress innovation, or put the country at a technological disadvantage.

Among the voters surveyed, 41 percent said they believe Congress is responsible for restricting AI, whereas just 20 percent believe tech companies such as Apple, Amazon, Google, Meta, and Microsoft should set regulations. 39 percent said they were not sure.

Universal Music recently began cracking down on AI-generated music that uses copyright materials, but the practice has not caught on across companies. AI has thus become one of the key factors in the ongoing Hollywood writer's strike.

Film and television writers are currently asking studios not to use the technology to write scripts or finish projects. As tools like ChatGPT pull from existing materials to generate content, it is near impossible to protect intellectual property and existing copyright if the tool remains unregulated. Ellen Stutzman, chief negotiator for the WGA, said via CoinTelegraph that some writers have even been referring to AI as a “plagiarism machine.”

“The WGA’s proposal to regulate use of material produced using artificial intelligence or similar technologies ensures the Companies can’t use AI to undermine writers’ working standards including compensation, residuals, separated rights, and credits," the Writer's Guild of America's statement reads.

Whether writer demands are met will likely set a precedent for other industries, particularly where AI is concerned. As writer and director Justine Bateman said, the issue boils down to the value of human labor and creativity.

“Watch this #WGA strike carefully,” she tweeted. “Understand that our fight is the same fight that is coming to your professional sector next: it’s the devaluing of human effort, skill, and talent in favor of automation and profits.”