SAG-AFTRA deal will let advertisers replicate actors’ voices with AI

SAG-AFTRA has announced a new agreement that would allow actors to earn from AI copies of their voice with their informed consent. The union representing thousands of performers has struck a deal with Narrativ, which is an online platform where performers can license digital voice replicas for use in audio ads. Brands who want to use a performer’s voice will have to identify the products or services they’re promoting, and performers will be able to review offers before accepting or declining them.

Performers will also be able to set their own prices, with SAG-AFTRA’s minimum rates being the lowest. And if they don’t want to work with Narrativ anymore, the platform is required to delete their digital voice replica and any recordings they made for its creation. When the union went on strike last year, one of the biggest issues it wanted to address was the use of artificial intelligence to create actors’ likeness without their permission (and without pay) even after they die. They were also concerned about the technology’s potential to replace performers altogether.

When the union ended its strike in November 2023, it said it was able to secure a deal that would protect its members from the “threat of AI.” Under the terms of agreement it negotiated, performers have to provide explicit consent before replicas of them can be created. They also have to provide their consent for every additional project where their replica is used. In January, SAG-AFTRA entered an agreement with Replica Studios so performers can license their voice to game studios. However, it failed to reach a deal with several major video game publishers, prompting the union to call for another strike in July so it could protect it members’ likenesses and voices from being recreated with AI without their permission.