Opinion: Without Permission, It’s Just Plagiarism—AI Creators Must Credit the Originals

As artificial intelligence continues its rapid integration into creative industries, we find ourselves yet again at another ethical and legal crossroads. The recent Wall Street Journal article, “Hollywood’s AI Battle Hinges on Copyright. Who Gets Paid?” (2025), describes a growing truth: AI companies are recreating human creativity—voices, performances, scripts—without first asking permission from the original artists.

Let me be clear: mimicking a writer’s style, cloning an actor’s voice, or sampling a songwriter’s melody without consent is not innovation—it’s intellectual theft. This isn’t a complicated ethical dilemma. We learned the principle in elementary school: cite your sources, give credit where it’s due. Otherwise, it’s plagiarism.

AI leaders must uphold the same ethical standards we teach children. Creators—human beings—deserve to be asked first, and then fairly compensated. Skipping the first step is not only disrespectful but also erases the dignity and labor behind the original work. The future of AI must begin with consent.

By: Nadia Khan-Roberts