MPA Chief: AI Can 'Bolster the Art of Storytelling'

Charles Rivkin, Chairman and CEO of the Motion Picture Association, addressed the theater industry at CinemaCon in Las Vegas on April 14, 2026. His central argument: AI can "bolster the art of storytelling" and improve the fan experience, but only within a framework of enforced copyright law.

A Tool, Not a Replacement

"We should view it as we do its predecessors: as a tool that can enhance human creativity, not replace it", Rivkin said. The position puts the MPA firmly in the camp that sees AI as an extension of filmmaking craft rather than a threat to it.

The remarks arrived one day after Cannes 2026 formally banned generative AI from its Official Competition, underscoring how sharply the industry is split. Where Cannes framed generative AI as incompatible with auteur cinema, the MPA's position is that the technology can serve it.

The Copyright Foundation

Rivkin grounded his AI optimism in enforcement. The MPA had condemned ByteDance's Seedance 2.0 model in February 2026, accusing it of enabling "unauthorized use of U.S. copyrighted works on a massive scale". By March, ByteDance had suspended the model's planned global rollout after cease and desist letters from five major studios arrived.

"You cannot steal copyrighted material and get away with it", Rivkin said at CinemaCon. The MPA also worked to ensure the White House's March 2026 AI policy framework "reaffirmed what's always been true: Copyright protections and innovation are twin pillars of our nation's strength".

The copyright industries Rivkin represents contribute over $2 trillion to U.S. GDP and support 11.6 million American jobs.

Taking On Instagram

Rivkin detailed an enforcement win against Meta. Instagram had adopted the PG-13 label for its teen accounts without MPA authorization. The association challenged what Rivkin described as a 1.6 trillion dollar company. Meta agreed to substantially reduce PG-13 references and add disclaimers distinguishing Instagram's system from the MPA's.

"On my watch, no one will confuse movies shown in your theaters with user-generated content people watch on their phones", Rivkin said. The MPA's ratings system, in operation for nearly 60 years, carries a 91 percent approval rating among families.

A Federal Film Tax Incentive

Rivkin named a federal film tax incentive as a current MPA priority, with the association engaging "the White House and Republicans and Democrats in Congress" alongside studios, unions, guilds, and producers. No timeline or legislative vehicle was specified.

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Sources

Variety | Deadline | Motion Picture Association