SAG-AFTRA closes deal with 'ethical' AI company

Published: October 30, 2024

SAG-AFTRA inks deal with AI company, promises ‘ethical AI development’

By Movieguide® Contributor

Voice AI company Ethovox has partnered with SAG-AFTRA to give actors responsibility and choice as concerns about AI’s role in entertainment steadily grow.

The company uses AI voices from voice actors only with their consent, and they receive compensation for the use of their voices.

“SAG-AFTRA members who lend their voices to the development of the model will receive both session fees and ongoing revenue sharing over the life of the fundamental model,” The Wrap explained.

The Wrap also notes that “no actor’s voice will be recognisably replicated by the model,” and voices will not be identifiable by the AI-generated speech.

“Ethovox is the only voice AI company owned and operated by voice actors, and we are pleased to partner with SAG-AFTRA to build a foundational voice AI model that prioritizes the interests of voice actors,” said Ethovox CEO Cissy Jones. “AI should be a choice. That’s why we reached out to the voice acting community during this process. Ethovox will continue to do this as we demonstrate that artists can and should be compensated for their contributions to ethical AI development, while maintaining consent and control over their voting data.”

Deadline explained: “In addition to securing proper compensation for SAG-AFTRA members who want to participate in building the model, the union says it has secured a ‘commitment to diversity and inclusion’ from Ethovox.”

For these reasons, SAG-AFTRA has also joined forces with the AI company “Narrativ”. Their union allows them to “license their digital voice replica for use in audio ads,” according to Deadline.

“Narrativ – an online platform that allows artists to license their digital voice replicas for use in digital audio advertising – has agreed to SAG-AFTRA’s informed consent, compensation and individual control requirements, as well as additional AI guardrails,” SAG-AFTRA announced.

These partnerships with AI companies are part of the union’s goal to protect its members from the theft and use of their voices without their consent, as several A-listers have experienced.

Morgan Freeman thanks fans after being made aware of a viral video using an AI version of his voice… Freeman isn’t the only Hollywood star to hit back at unauthorized use of their voice or likeness. AVENGERS actress Scarlett Johansson recently hired legal counsel after claiming OpenAI used the likeness of her voice without her consent. She claimed that OpenAI CEO Sam Altman initially requested permission to use her voice.