Published: October 30, 2024

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

By Movieguide® contributor

Voice AI company Ethovox has partnered with SAG-AFTRA to provide accountability and options to actors as concern steadily grows over the role of artificial intelligence in entertainment.

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 voice to the development of the model will receive both session fees and ongoing revenue sharing for the life of the foundational model,” The Wrap. explained.

The Wrap also notes that “the model will not replicate the voice of any particular actor” and the voices will not be identifiable by the AI-generated speech.

“Ethovox is the only voice AI company owned and run by voice actors, and we are pleased to partner with SAG-AFTRA to build a foundational voice AI model that puts the interests of voice actors first.” saying Cissy Jones, CEO of Ethovox. “AI should be an option. For that reason, we have reached out to the voice acting community throughout this process. “Ethovox will continue to do so as we demonstrate that artists can and should be compensated for contributing to the ethical development of AI while maintaining consent and control over their voice data.”

Deadline explained: “In addition to ensuring adequate 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.”

SAG-AFTRA has also joined forces with the artificial intelligence company “Narrativ” for these reasons. 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 advertisements, has agreed to SAG-AFTRA’s AI informed consent, compensation and individual control requirements, as well as barriers additional AI security measures”, 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 prominent members have experienced.

Morgan Freeman is thanking fans after being notified of a viral video using an AI version of his voice… Freeman isn’t the only Hollywood star to respond to unauthorized uses of his voice or likeness. AVENGERS actress Scarlett Johansson recently hired legal counsel after claiming that OpenAI used her voice image without her consent. He alleged that OpenAI CEO Sam Altman initially asked for permission to use his voice.

READ MORE: MORGAN FREEMAN CALLS AI VERSION ‘UNAUTHORIZED’ OF HER VOICE