Britain must pioneer AI regulations in
entertainment industries
“Priority one – Ensure return of or-
ganism for analysis. All other consid-
erations secondary. Crew expendable.”
Since these words appeared in the 1979
film Alien, the Alien series has regu-
larly criticised how some large corpo-
rations treat their workforce as dispos-
able in the pursuit of profit. It is rather
ironic then that the most recent instal-
ment, Alien: Romulus, partly emulates
that approach by utilising AI technolo-
gies to recreate the likeness of the late
Sir Ian Holm, who portrayed a charac-
ter in the original 1979 film. Holm’s
digitally recreated presence in Alien:
Romulus once again raises questions of
whether AI could render entertainment
jobs obsolete, and if the overuse of AI
may cause creative stagnation. Such
questions remain unresolved at the
national level in the United States de-
spite a bilateral agreement between the
writers’ and actors’ unions and enter-
tainment companies to end the labour
dispute last year, primarily because the
US Congress remained (at the time) too
divided to draft AI regulations on the
entertainment industries.
In contrast, the Starmer ministry has
the benefit of a robust parliamentary
majority to easily pass AI regulations
on entertainment in the current parlia-
mentary term. Britain is also a “cultural
superpower” with many cultural prop-
erties that are exceptionally popular
overseas, ranging from Shakespeare’s
plays to TV series like Doctor Who.
Consequently, AI regulations that Brit-
ain adopts will set an example for other
countries to follow. Considering that
the Starmer ministry has furthermore
prioritised strengthening Britain’s sta-
tus as a cultural superpower, this would
be an excellent opportunity for the min-
istry to demonstrate its commitment.
The UK government should waste no
time here either, as AI-related concerns
have gained increasing attention recent-
ly. The UK actors’ union Equity issued
a statement in solidarity with the US
strikes last year and has more recently
requested regulations on the use of AI,
albeit oft entertainment companies in-
stead of UK authorities. Nevertheless,
without establishing rules for the use
of AI in entertainment, Equity could
launch a strike like its US counterparts
did. The US entertainment labour strikes
last year cost the economy of Califor-
nia $6.5 billion (£5.3 billion) and 45,000
jobs in that state alone, and similar ac -
tion taken in the UK could easily have
massive economic impacts, possibly even
threatening the Starmer ministry’s cur-
rent commitments to put an end to years
of austerity.
The growing presence of artificial intel-
ligence in the entertainment industry
poses a significant risk to job security
as well, especially for junior-level work -
ers. The capabilities of AI have advanced
enough that the demand for large pro-
duction crews may decrease as digital
technologies evolve. Returning to the ex-
ample of Alien: Romulus, a fully staffed
crew recreated the likeness of Ian Holm,
with Daniel Betts providing the voice
for Holm’s character. However, as AI
technology improves, the need for such
extensive teams to execute digital recrea-
tions of actors (both living and deceased)
could diminish. These trends highlight
another need for future AI regulations in
entertainment.
There are likewise growing problems in
the use of AI-generated creative writ-
ing as well. In fact, a study from Rice
and Stanford Universities reported that
AI models trained off AI-generated ma-
terials tended to produce poor and/or
homogenised results. Given how AI-gen-
erated materials have exponentially pro-
liferated the internet since the public
release of ChatGPT in 2022, any AI-gen-
erated creative writing materials that
may be generated in the future will be
increasingly susceptible to “Model Auto -
phagy Disorder (MAD),” and thus be at
risk of creative stagnation. Even if issues
with MAD might be addressed in future
AI models, the fact that generative AI
requires drawing upon existing materi-
als means that it is less likely to produce
anything unique or groundbreaking. The
UK’s future AI regulations must address
the shortcomings to prevent such cre-
ative stagnation as well, especially to
maintain Britain’s cultural superpower
status.
Given these circumstances, the UK
must consider the following approach-
es when developing AI regulations in
entertainment:
• Open standing policy consultations
between the Department for Culture;
the Parliamentary Committee for Cul-
ture; Equity and other entertainment
trade unions; and companies in enter-
tainment industries like film, TV, pub -
lishing, video games, among others, to
keep up with advancements in AI tech-
nologies in entertainment.
• Parliament must pass legislation
(drafted based on these consultations)
that safeguard jobs and prevent crea -
tive stagnation as the use of AI grows
more common in the entertainment in-
dustries.
• The government should issue guid-
ance on how it would enforce this legis-
lation to ensure that the adoption of AI
technologies will not negatively impact
entertainment workers or Britain’s cul-
tural power.
Francis Shin is an author and research
analyst focused on strengthening global
governance, fostering transatlantic-In-
do-Pacific cooperation, and advancing
democratic resilience. His expertise
spans anti-corruption strategies
and clean energy policy. Francis has
held roles at prominent think tanks,
including the Atlantic Council, the
Royal United Services Institute, and the
Center for a New American Security.
By Francis Shin
13
entertainment industries
“Priority one – Ensure return of or-
ganism for analysis. All other consid-
erations secondary. Crew expendable.”
Since these words appeared in the 1979
film Alien, the Alien series has regu-
larly criticised how some large corpo-
rations treat their workforce as dispos-
able in the pursuit of profit. It is rather
ironic then that the most recent instal-
ment, Alien: Romulus, partly emulates
that approach by utilising AI technolo-
gies to recreate the likeness of the late
Sir Ian Holm, who portrayed a charac-
ter in the original 1979 film. Holm’s
digitally recreated presence in Alien:
Romulus once again raises questions of
whether AI could render entertainment
jobs obsolete, and if the overuse of AI
may cause creative stagnation. Such
questions remain unresolved at the
national level in the United States de-
spite a bilateral agreement between the
writers’ and actors’ unions and enter-
tainment companies to end the labour
dispute last year, primarily because the
US Congress remained (at the time) too
divided to draft AI regulations on the
entertainment industries.
In contrast, the Starmer ministry has
the benefit of a robust parliamentary
majority to easily pass AI regulations
on entertainment in the current parlia-
mentary term. Britain is also a “cultural
superpower” with many cultural prop-
erties that are exceptionally popular
overseas, ranging from Shakespeare’s
plays to TV series like Doctor Who.
Consequently, AI regulations that Brit-
ain adopts will set an example for other
countries to follow. Considering that
the Starmer ministry has furthermore
prioritised strengthening Britain’s sta-
tus as a cultural superpower, this would
be an excellent opportunity for the min-
istry to demonstrate its commitment.
The UK government should waste no
time here either, as AI-related concerns
have gained increasing attention recent-
ly. The UK actors’ union Equity issued
a statement in solidarity with the US
strikes last year and has more recently
requested regulations on the use of AI,
albeit oft entertainment companies in-
stead of UK authorities. Nevertheless,
without establishing rules for the use
of AI in entertainment, Equity could
launch a strike like its US counterparts
did. The US entertainment labour strikes
last year cost the economy of Califor-
nia $6.5 billion (£5.3 billion) and 45,000
jobs in that state alone, and similar ac -
tion taken in the UK could easily have
massive economic impacts, possibly even
threatening the Starmer ministry’s cur-
rent commitments to put an end to years
of austerity.
The growing presence of artificial intel-
ligence in the entertainment industry
poses a significant risk to job security
as well, especially for junior-level work -
ers. The capabilities of AI have advanced
enough that the demand for large pro-
duction crews may decrease as digital
technologies evolve. Returning to the ex-
ample of Alien: Romulus, a fully staffed
crew recreated the likeness of Ian Holm,
with Daniel Betts providing the voice
for Holm’s character. However, as AI
technology improves, the need for such
extensive teams to execute digital recrea-
tions of actors (both living and deceased)
could diminish. These trends highlight
another need for future AI regulations in
entertainment.
There are likewise growing problems in
the use of AI-generated creative writ-
ing as well. In fact, a study from Rice
and Stanford Universities reported that
AI models trained off AI-generated ma-
terials tended to produce poor and/or
homogenised results. Given how AI-gen-
erated materials have exponentially pro-
liferated the internet since the public
release of ChatGPT in 2022, any AI-gen-
erated creative writing materials that
may be generated in the future will be
increasingly susceptible to “Model Auto -
phagy Disorder (MAD),” and thus be at
risk of creative stagnation. Even if issues
with MAD might be addressed in future
AI models, the fact that generative AI
requires drawing upon existing materi-
als means that it is less likely to produce
anything unique or groundbreaking. The
UK’s future AI regulations must address
the shortcomings to prevent such cre-
ative stagnation as well, especially to
maintain Britain’s cultural superpower
status.
Given these circumstances, the UK
must consider the following approach-
es when developing AI regulations in
entertainment:
• Open standing policy consultations
between the Department for Culture;
the Parliamentary Committee for Cul-
ture; Equity and other entertainment
trade unions; and companies in enter-
tainment industries like film, TV, pub -
lishing, video games, among others, to
keep up with advancements in AI tech-
nologies in entertainment.
• Parliament must pass legislation
(drafted based on these consultations)
that safeguard jobs and prevent crea -
tive stagnation as the use of AI grows
more common in the entertainment in-
dustries.
• The government should issue guid-
ance on how it would enforce this legis-
lation to ensure that the adoption of AI
technologies will not negatively impact
entertainment workers or Britain’s cul-
tural power.
Francis Shin is an author and research
analyst focused on strengthening global
governance, fostering transatlantic-In-
do-Pacific cooperation, and advancing
democratic resilience. His expertise
spans anti-corruption strategies
and clean energy policy. Francis has
held roles at prominent think tanks,
including the Atlantic Council, the
Royal United Services Institute, and the
Center for a New American Security.
By Francis Shin
13