Hollywood is bracing for another union fight this week, and a key issue will be how actors are paid for the work performed by their artificial intelligence-created “digital doubles”.
“The rapid advances in generative AI technology over the past 18 months is something we have seen in real time and it is already impacting our members,” he explains. financial Times Duncan Crabtree-Ireland, chief negotiator for the SAG-AFTRA actors’ union.
AI has been a major concern in the current round of contract negotiations between the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP)—representing Hollywood entertainment companies—and the writers’ and directors’ guilds, but may be even more important for actors. Because the future of AI is already here.
Imitations of Keanu Reeves and Tom Cruise have appeared on TikTok, aging technology has become standard in projects like the upcoming “Indiana Jones” sequel with Harrison Ford, and James Earl Jones allowed his voice to be recreated by AI. Also given so that his prestigious portrayal could be done. Darth Vader’s offspring may live forever.
Crabtree-Ireland told the FT that actors want to make sure their “digital doubles” are paid their fair share for their work and can give “informed consent” to how they are used.
“The artist’s name, image, voice and personality are their legacy,” explains Crabtree-Ireland. reuters, “It’s not fair that companies try to take advantage of this and don’t properly compensate artists when their image is used in this way.”
SAG-AFTRA representatives will meet with AMPTP negotiators on Wednesday to begin talks.
As Hollywood screenwriters continue to strike, the Directors Guild of America reached a tentative agreement with studios on Saturday that concerned AI. According to reports, “the agreement confirms that the AI is not a person and that generative AI cannot replace the work done by the members”. Diversity,
But actors look for much more than that. Crabtree-Ireland has told the FT that the starting point for negotiations would be to secure union-level pay for work using digital doubles.
And while the use of artificial intelligence may scare some actors, others in Hollywood are embracing the potential payoff the technology can bring.
“Actors…can be in multiple locations at the same time as these tools can help them run different projects at different stages,” he says. feet Hillary Crane, CAA’s legal director.
