{"version":1,"type":"story","url":"https://digestai.news/story/wga-east-partners-with-cloak-to-block-ai-training-on-writers-work","json":"https://digestai.news/story/wga-east-partners-with-cloak-to-block-ai-training-on-writers-work.json","markdown":"https://digestai.news/story/wga-east-partners-with-cloak-to-block-ai-training-on-writers-work.md","slug":"wga-east-partners-with-cloak-to-block-ai-training-on-writers-work","headline":"WGA East partners with Cloak to block AI training on writers' work","summary":"The Writers Guild of America, East announced a partnership with Cloak, a software that encrypts files so they remain readable to humans but illegible to AI models. The tool will be offered for free to WGAE members as part of the union’s benefits, while non‑member writers can add protection for a $10 fee on top of existing registration costs.\n\nCloak’s founder Rishi Ambavanekar said the service gives writers agency over their content, preventing unwanted AI training, notes, or analysis. The startup, founded in September 2025 and backed by Andreessen Horowitz’s Speedrun accelerator and the University of Pennsylvania, claims its tests block Anthropic’s Claude up to Fable 5.1, Google’s Gemini up to 3.8, and OpenAI’s ChatGPT up to GPT‑6 Astra, as well as automated summaries from Google Drive, Gmail, and Adobe Acrobat. WGA East president Tom Fontana and AI Task Force co‑chair Larry J. Cohen highlighted the partnership as an extension of the guild’s push for contractual and legislative safeguards against AI exploitation of creative work.","keyPoints":["WGA East provides Cloak encryption free to members; non‑members pay $10 to add protection.","Cloak claims to block AI training by Claude (Fable 5.1), Gemini (3.8), and GPT‑6 Astra.","Cloak founded Sep 2025, backed by Andreessen Horowitz’s Speedrun and the University of Pennsylvania."],"whyItMatters":"Union‑backed encryption could force AI developers to respect consent, shaping industry norms and influencing future regulation of data use.","category":{"slug":"policy","name":"Policy & Regulation","url":"https://digestai.news/category/policy"},"entities":{"companies":["Cloak","Andreessen Horowitz","University of Pennsylvania","Google","Anthropic","OpenAI"],"models":["Claude","Gemini","GPT-6 Astra"],"people":["Tom Fontana","Rishi Ambavanekar","Larry J. Cohen"]},"firstPublishedAt":"2026-10-20T09:01:00Z","updatedAt":"2026-10-20T09:01:00Z","sourceCount":1,"hasPrimarySource":false,"sources":[{"outlet":"yahoo.com","title":"WGA East Moves to Block AI Models from Training on Members’ Work with New Software Partner Cloak: ‘Give Agency Back to Writers’","url":"https://yahoo.com/entertainment/tv/articles/wga-east-moves-block-ai-160000204.html","publishedAt":"2026-10-20T09:01:00Z","type":"press","primary":false,"lead":true}],"sourceNotes":null,"discussions":[],"thread":null,"cite":{"text":"Digest AI, \"WGA East partners with Cloak to block AI training on writers' work\", 20 October 2026, https://digestai.news/story/wga-east-partners-with-cloak-to-block-ai-training-on-writers-work","publisher":"Digest AI","title":"WGA East partners with Cloak to block AI training on writers' work","datePublished":"2026-10-20T09:01:00Z","url":"https://digestai.news/story/wga-east-partners-with-cloak-to-block-ai-training-on-writers-work"},"generatedBy":"Written by Digest AI's editorial model from the linked sources; the sources are the record.","license":"Headlines, digests and key points are written by Digest AI and may be quoted with a link to the story page. Linked articles belong to their publishers. Terms: https://digestai.news/terms#reuse"}