Source: Loeb & Loeb

At Loeb & Loeb’s AI Summit in Los Angeles on April 21, 2026, a roundtable explored how generative AI is reshaping content creation across film, television, documentary, unscripted and gaming, and how in-house legal teams are increasingly finding ways to authorize AI use. The discussion centered on four areas: AI contract language with talent and vendors, copyright implications for AI-assisted works, AI providers’ “terms of use,” and state-specific digital replica laws, with two common contractual provisions emerging — restrictions on third parties inputting created IP into AI without approval, and expanded company rights to alter talent’s image, likeness, voice and performance via AI.

The panel flagged the growing gray zone in traditional work-for-hire copyright when AI collaborates with humans, citing the U.S. Copyright Office guidance (January 17, 2025) that prompts alone generally do not make a user the author, while selection/arrangement or substantial modification by humans can meet copyright standards. Participants contrasted robust VFX vendor warranties and indemnities with typical click-through AI terms that are “as is,” limited in indemnity and capped in liability, and recommended tracking when click-through terms apply, negotiating enterprise licenses, creating internal workflows, being specific about intended uses under California and New York digital replica laws, and requiring lawyer or union-negotiated contracts or explicit attorney confirmation for talent.