In a groundbreaking move at CES 2024, the Screen Actors Guild‐American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) officially signed an agreement with Replica Studios, an AI voice technology company. This deal marks a significant stride in setting standards for the use of artificial intelligence in voiceover work for video games, addressing long-standing concerns surrounding consent and compensation.
With AI’s ever-expanding presence in our lives, the ability of AI to emulate voices of performers has stirred controversy and debate. As the world’s largest labor union for performers, SAG-AFTRA has shown its commitment to harnessing AI for the benefit of its members rather than resisting the technological tide. Duncan Crabtree-Ireland, SAG-AFTRA’s National Executive Director & Chief Negotiator, stated that the deal with Replica Studios could help facilitate ongoing negotiations with major video game studios.
The agreement ensures that union members can license digital replicas of their voices for use in video games, providing a framework that ensures informed consent, fair compensation, and the safe storage of digital voice assets. This is a considerable advance from the contentious stance earlier in 2023, where studios claimed no need for consent to replicate performer voices with AI.
AI’s role was notably significant in SAG-AFTRA’s historic 2023 strike against the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers, where performers demanded their rights concerning AI-generated likenesses. This strike highlighted the urgent need for such agreements, culminating in studios now required to obtain consent from and compensate actors for the use of their AI-generated likenesses.
Shreyas Nivas, CEO of Replica Studios, has touted the agreement as “groundbreaking,” expressing that it would allow voice actors to safely pursue new opportunities for their digital voices. The partnership, he said, establishes critical protections around consent, contracts, and compensation. This acknowledgment reflects a shift from industry resistance to recognition of performers’ rights over their digital personas.
Crabtree-Ireland shared that the agreement would unlock new employment opportunities for voiceover performers who wish to license their voices for video game use. This deal is specific to “digital replicas,” focusing on AI-created voices of real performers, and is distinct from AI systems trained to generate synthetic performances.
Furthermore, SAG-AFTRA is also considering extending such agreements to other areas of vocal performance, such as music and TV commercials. Interestingly, the deal also contemplates the idea that the estates of deceased performers could agree to the use of those voices, expanding the agreement’s reach beyond current union members.
The Replica agreement does not encompass AI training involving large language models, which has sparked controversy and legal battles, such as the one involving ‘Game of Thrones’ author George R.R. Martin. This boundary hints at the nuanced and evolving nature of AI’s role in the creative industries.
AI voice technology has substantially advanced, to the point where it closely mimics human speech, and this new contract from SAG-AFTRA with Replica Studios is setting the stage for how talent and studios will manage AI voiceover opportunities moving forward. Duncan Crabtree-Ireland believes this agreement is a step in the right direction, hoping that it will inspire further agreements with the video game studios and beyond. The deal at CES 2024 could serve as a model for securing performer rights in an increasingly AI-driven entertainment world.
Relevant articles:
– SAG-AFTRA Signs Deal With Voiceover Studio for AI Use in Video Games
– SAG-AFTRA Signs AI Deal Allowing Actors to License Digital Voice Replicas
– CES 2024: Actors’ union agrees to AI voiceovers for video games