As discussions grow more heated regarding the relationship between artificial intelligence and creative works, several prominent figures in technology are advocating for a dramatic change: the total abolition of intellectual property (IP) laws. On Friday, Jack Dorsey, cofounder of X (formerly Twitter) and Block (previously Square), shared a straightforward message on X: “delete all IP law.” Elon Musk, the current head of X, added a succinct agreement: “I agree.”

Although the interaction was short—only six words—it ignited a significant dialogue about the future of copyright and ownership amidst the rise of generative AI.

On the same day, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman participated in an interview with TED head Chris Anderson at the TED conference. During their exchange, Anderson presented Altman with an AI-generated comic strip featuring Charlie Brown and inquired if OpenAI had secured permission from the Peanuts estate. Altman avoided the licensing issue, focusing instead on OpenAI’s mission to foster creativity and recognizing the need for a new economic model to sustain creative endeavors.

The remarks by Dorsey, Musk, and Altman illustrate an increasing sentiment among tech leaders: traditional copyright frameworks might no longer be appropriate for the AI-driven landscape. Organizations like OpenAI and Google have been urging the U.S. government to permit AI systems to learn from copyrighted content—such as books, films, and music—under the fair use legal framework. OpenAI has even positioned this matter as a national security issue.

Conversely, artists and creators view the situation differently. For them, the push to dismantle IP protections poses a direct danger to their means of making a living. More than 50,000 artists—including Thom Yorke, James Patterson, and Julianne Moore—recently endorsed an open letter denouncing the unauthorized usage of their work to train AI systems. The letter characterized this practice as “a significant, unjust threat” to those who produce the content powering these technologies.

Hollywood has also made its opposition known. A distinct letter signed by industry luminaries such as Ron Howard, Paul McCartney, and Cynthia Erivo was sent to the White House, urging the administration to resist the pressures from tech firms to dilute copyright laws in the name of AI advancement.

“Intellectual property law is embedded in the U.S. Constitution as a means to encourage creativity, not hinder it,” stated Atreya Mathur, Director of Legal Research at the Center for Art Law, in a statement to Mashable. “Abolishing these laws would disregard that fundamental purpose and undermine the labor and rights of creators, including those whose work fuels these technologies.”

Ed Newton-Rex, CEO of Fairly Trained, an organization advocating for ethically sourced AI training data, reiterated this alarm on X, commenting that tech leaders are “declaring all-out war on creators who don’t want their life’s work exploited for profit.”

Critics have also highlighted the irony in Dorsey’s viewpoint, pointing out that he amassed wealth partly due to the very IP laws he now seeks to eliminate. One X user humorously noted, “Everybody becomes a free-market libertarian once they make their bag.”

As the tech sector advocates for fewer constraints on AI’s access to creative material, it is evident that strong opposition will arise from artists, authors, musicians, and filmmakers who contend that their rights—and the worth of their creations—must be safeguarded. The conflict over intellectual property during the AI era is just getting underway.