TL;DR

Jack Thorne, who co-wrote Adolescence and currently leads the Writers’ Guild of Great Britain as its president, has said some screenwriters are using AI “to cheat” and that presenting machine-generated scripts as your own should be illegal. He also attacked the government’s record on protecting writers’ copyright from AI training. His argument turns the usual creative-industries complaint around: the problem is not only what tech firms take from writers, but what some writers are handing over to the tools.

Aid versus replacement

Speaking in London, Thorne said studio heads, executives and writers he knows had described colleagues relying on AI in place of writing. He was careful about where he drew the line. Using a model to talk through ideas, fix spelling or tidy layout was acceptable. Replacing the act of writing with prompts was not, and in his view it cheats both employers and other writers.

His proposed remedy is blunt. Undeclared AI content should be treated as fraud, with the commissioning company able to prosecute, and the consequences should be large enough to deter. He compared it to universities threatening expulsion over AI-written essays, and said Channel 4 and the BBC, among other broadcasters, should be prepared to impose penalties. He also wants a ban on AI impersonating actors, directors and writers.

The self-policing has a strategic motive. If writers become the visible offenders, Thorne warned, publishers, studios and streamers gain cover to treat content however they like.

Thorne accused ministers of being “a bit dazzled by tech” and of leaving writers exposed to large-scale scraping of their work. The government has already dropped a plan that would have required rights holders to opt out of AI training, following a backlash, and consulted instead. A spokesperson said copyright law must protect the UK’s creative strength while allowing AI innovation.

Looking forward

The disclosure question is spreading well beyond screenwriting. Most academic researchers say they are unsure what AI use to declare, and UK employers report that AI-written job applications are slowing recruitment. Thorne’s proposal shares their weak point: a disclosure law is only as strong as the ability to detect breaches, and reliable detection of AI text does not yet exist. Contract terms requiring disclosure, which commissioners can impose today, are the more likely first step. Businesses that commission creative or written work should consider adding them now.

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