SAG-AFTRA ratifies TV animation contracts that establish AI protections for voice actors

SAG-AFTRA has ratified new contracts for voice actors working in TV animation after members’ votes got here in at over 95 p.c in favor of the phrases. The three-year agreements put into place new protections round using AI, together with a requirement that producers receive an actor’s consent earlier than utilizing their identify as a immediate to create an AI-generated voice. SAG-AFTRA introduced the contracts’ approval on Friday evening. They’ll be efficient by means of June 30, 2026.

Per the brand new contracts, “the time period ‘voice actor’ solely contains people.” The contracts additionally define voice actors’ rights round studios’ use of their digital replicas, and require producers to inform and discount with the union any time they use AI-generated voices as an alternative of voice actors. “That is the primary SAG-AFTRA animation voiceover contract with protections in opposition to the misuse of synthetic intelligence,” TV Animation Negotiating Committee Co-Chairs Bob Bergen and David Jolliffe mentioned in a press release.

SAG-AFTRA’s Government Director and Chief Negotiator Duncan Crabtree-Eire mentioned the settlement “represents a significant step ahead in increasing our A.I. protections,” together with offering “necessary new phrases within the areas of international residuals, high-budget SVOD [subscription video-on-demand] productions, late funds and far more.” The contracts set up a sequence of wage will increase, beginning with a 7 p.c improve dated again to July 1, 2023, which actors will obtain retroactive funds for. That will probably be adopted by a 4 p.c improve July 1 of this 12 months, and a 3.5 p.c improve the next 12 months.

The union earlier this 12 months introduced that it had reached a deal with the AI voice generation company Duplicate Studios to present voice actors a solution to “safely” license their digital voice replicas for video video games. AI safety have been additionally a vital part of the strike-ending deal SAG-AFTRA reached with Hollywood studios late final 12 months.