Hollywood elites are turning to Washington’s K-Street lobbyists as artificial intelligence threatens to wipe out tens of thousands of jobs in the entertainment industry. Once proudly dismissive of D.C.’s lobbying machine, left-leaning studios and talent agencies are now scrambling to protect their interests—and livelihoods.
For the first time, powerhouse talent agency Creative Artists Agency (CAA) has hired a Washington lobbying firm, Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck, to confront the growing dominance of AI. The move signals a dramatic shift in strategy for an industry that traditionally leaned on California-based influence networks and rejected the D.C. establishment.
Carl Thorsen, co-founder of Thorsen French Advocacy, noted that AI’s rapid disruption has ignited unprecedented lobbying activity in the capital. “The risks and rewards created by AI are prompting more engagement in D.C. than I’ve seen in over a decade,” Thorsen said.
In just two years, the National Association of Voice Actors and the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences have joined the lobbying surge. Hollywood fears extend beyond AI, with pressures from high taxes, international competition, industry consolidation, and shrinking job markets—all now seen as matters for Washington to address.
But AI remains the dominant concern. More than 200,000 jobs have already been lost to AI systems capable of writing scripts, generating voices, and now, creating entire video sequences. This explosion in AI capabilities has left traditional studios largely silent, fearing they can’t compete or control the technology’s trajectory.
The release of OpenAI’s latest tool, Sora 2, reignited outrage. The program can generate video content, raising alarms over copyright infringement and the devaluation of creative labor. Major agency WME slammed OpenAI, accusing the company of “stealing” creators’ work and ignoring copyright protections.
In a strongly worded statement, WME said OpenAI is “disregarding global copyright principles and blatantly dismissing creators’ rights,” arguing that such tools undermine not just artists but also the businesses and investors who fund entertainment content.
The backlash marks a rare moment where Hollywood and the D.C. lobbyist world find themselves aligned in purpose. While this new alliance may be born of panic, it could reshape the political landscape for tech regulation, intellectual property, and labor protections.
