Artificial intelligence
Given the proliferation of applications and tools as well as the growing use of generative artificial intelligence (AI) across the industry, Telefilm has adopted a business policy to establish parameters for the use of AI in funded projects.
Purpose
The purpose of this policy is to provide applicants of our funding programs with a degree of certainty regarding the use of AI, while not limiting their capacity to innovate and leverage new technological advances.
Scope of Application
This Policy applies to all Telefilm funding programs and complements the guidelines of each program. For the purposes of this Policy, the term project includes:
- scripts
- films
- festivals
- other funded activities
In all cases, the applicant remains solely responsible for their use of AI and cannot circumvent other Telefilm standards and policies specific to each program, which remain in effect and are not modified by this Policy.
Principles
Telefilm has chosen to build this Policy around the following four principles:
1. Preserving the Role of Humans at the Heart of Creation
a. Human-Created Requirement: Telefilm will not accept projects where AI substantially dominates or replaces the creative process to the extent that the project is primarily created by AI. In all cases, Telefilm shall require that a human be involved in key creative roles and exercise sufficient talent and judgment to be recognized as the author of their contribution to the project.
b. Assistance Tools: Telefilm acknowledges the growing use of AI-powered tools to facilitate or accelerate creative and administrative processes. These may include writing aids, breakdown tools, storyboard creation tools, or tools for generating special effects or animating characters. The use of such tools ─ intended to assist a human in their creative process or work ─ is acceptable to Telefilm.
c. Accessibility Tools: Telefilm will also accept the use of AI tools intended to address permanent or temporary disabilities.
d. Laws and Industry Rules: Telefilm expects all AI use to comply with existing and applicable rules for the project, including relevant laws, regulations, and collective agreements. In cases of doubt, Telefilm reserves the right to require a legal opinion confirming compliance.
e. Ethical Considerations: The applicant must assess and verify the contribution of AI to the project, ensuring ─ among other things ─ the absence of bias introduced by AI in the creative process.
2. Transparency is Essential
a. Disclosure: The use of AI must be disclosed to Telefilm during the application process and in all submitted documents. The Dialogue platform will be updated to include a specific questionnaire enabling disclosure of AI use at the time of initial application and upon project completion.
b. Environmental Reporting: AI usage must be declared and accounted for within the project’s sustainable development plan, if the selected tool allows.
c. Public Reporting: Telefilm will periodically publish aggregated data on the use of AI in projects. Telefilm aims to produce an initial report following the first complete funding cycle during which data has been collected.
3. Innovation is Encouraged
a. Innovation: Telefilm encourages applicants and stakeholders to be innovative in their use of existing and emerging tools.
b. No Adverse Consequences: The use of new working methods and tools should not jeopardize the funding granted to an applicant, provided that Telefilm’s contracts, guidelines, business policies, and specific requirements of the funding program are respected.
4. Intellectual Property Must Remain with the Applicant
a. Intellectual Property: Telefilm maintains the requirement that copyright in the project must be held exclusively by a Canadian, in accordance with program guidelines, unless the project is an official coproduction, in which case intellectual property may be shared with the coproducer.
b. AI Tool Licenses: Applicants must pay close attention to the licensing terms of the AI tools they use to ensure that they have obtained sufficient permissions and rights to meet intellectual property ownership requirements.