A newly formed group, Neighbors for Strong Communities, is leveraging artificial intelligence to influence California Attorney General Rob Bonta in his decision regarding a contentious antitrust lawsuit against the Paramount-Warner Bros. merger. This initiative seeks to rally public support and emphasize potential job losses in California’s entertainment sector.
AI-Assisted Outreach
The organization claims that while it employs AI to streamline the process of crafting letters directed at Bonta’s office, all the messages come from actual individuals. “Anyone should be able to tell their story, and we use tech to make it easy for them,” said Tanner Kelly, co-founder of the group. “Nothing we do is AI-generated. It’s AI-assisted. It’s a real person telling a story.”
Pressing Concerns
In addition to their letter-writing campaign, the group plans to hold a press conference outside Paramount’s gates to address concerns over the potential departure of the studio from California. Paramount’s CEO, David Ellison, has warned that the company might leave if a deal is not secured by October 1, which would incur a daily $7 million fee to Warner Bros. investors.
Funding and Allegations
Despite allegations that Neighbors for Strong Communities is an “astroturf” campaign—a term describing fake grassroots initiatives funded by corporations—Kelly has denied any direct funding from Paramount. “This is an independent campaign. It’s not being run by Paramount,” he stated. “We have not received any direct funding from Paramount.” When questioned about possible indirect funding, Kelly claimed he had no knowledge of it.
The organization, incorporated in Washington, D.C., in June, has kept its donors confidential, following policy guidelines that discourage public disclosure to attract future contributions. Paramount has chosen not to comment on this matter.
Lobbying Techniques
Kelly, who is also a registered lobbyist, has founded Influent, a vendor specializing in the use of AI technology to generate personalized letters for policymakers. His approach is designed to create persuasive grassroots movements for Fortune 100 companies. Influent’s website emphasizes its commitment to using real people’s voices, stating, “Every Influent letter, Tweet, phone call, and message is tailored to the individual—each one unique, reflecting the authentic voice of its sender.”
In July, California Governor Gavin Newsom signed AB 1736, a bill that prohibits “lobbyist employers” from employing fake comments for political influence, raising questions about the tactics being used in current lobbying efforts.
Mobilizing Voices
Neighbors for Strong Communities asserts that it has mobilized over 2,000 individuals, generating 1,000 phone calls to Bonta’s office. Kelly maintains that AI is solely functioning in the letter-writing process, not impacting other outreach efforts. The group is also compiling video testimonials from entertainment workers concerned about the implications of Paramount’s potential relocation. Among those sharing their worries is Ilona Roytman, a hairstylist, who expressed, “If they go away, a lot more people are going to lose their jobs.”
Actor Avrielle Corti articulated similar sentiments: “Taking Paramount out of California is like taking the Golden Gate Bridge and putting it in Nebraska.” Dani Kelly, a podcast studio owner, underscored the cultural significance of the studios, warning that their departure would create a “ripple effect” across the industry.
Counterclaims and Political Commentary
Amidst criticism, the Committee for the First Amendment labeled Neighbors for Strong Communities as an astroturf campaign after the group sent out messages supporting the merger. Addressing this accusation, Tanner Kelly remarked, “The claim that this is astroturf is an attempt to silence real people who are worried about jobs going away because they don’t agree with them politically.”
Publicist Roger Neal added that the antitrust case appears to be politically motivated, suggesting discontent with the conservative ownership of the studio influences opposition: “So what if there’s one studio that has conservative ownership? So what?”
The ongoing dynamics surrounding the proposed merger, the reaction of the community, and the utilization of technology continue to shape the conversation around the future of Paramount and its impact on California’s economy and cultural identity.
