SAG-AFTRA Strikes Deal With Ethovox on AI Voice Protections

The Screen Actors Guild - American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) has announced it has reached a deal with voice AI company Ethovox on protections for SAG-AFTRA members who choose to make digital replicas of their voices.

SAG-AFTRA announced via a press release it has signed a contract with Ethovox that met the union's guidelines for AI voice use. The union has discussed requirements such as performer consent and notification and fair pay for use as being necessary in its AI agreements.

Image courtesy of SAG-AFTRA

SAG-AFTRA has previously struck a similar deal with AI technology company Replica Studios, though at the time it was questioned by some of the union's membership. At the time, SAG-AFTRA clarified that the union's goal was never to ban AI replicas entirely, as some of its membership actively wanted to earn money by using their voice to train such technology. Instead, the union sought to work with companies to ensure actors who didn't want to work with AI were protected from their work being used without their consent, while actors who were interested in the technology could use it consensually and with fair compensation.

That seems to be what's happening here with Ethovox, which SAG-AFTRA notes is "owned and managed by voice actors" Cissy Jones and Julian Kwasneski. Though exact details of the contract were not shared, SAG-AFTRA said it "provides both session fees and ongoing revenue sharing for the life of the foundational model".

“What will safeguard voice actors’ livelihoods in the AI age is more contractual protection, not less,” said SAG-AFTRA national executive director Duncan Crabtree-Ireland. “That’s why SAG-AFTRA will continue to recognize AI companies, like Ethovox, that agree with our union’s AI guidelines. Not everyone will want to work with an AI company, and that’s understandable. But for those who intend to utilize the opportunities AI offers, it’s important that agreements require companies to secure informed consent, and provide fair compensation. Without informed consent and fair compensation, this new era will become a ‘Wild West’ of AI misuse and exploitation.”

This news comes as SAG-AFTRA video game workers remain on strike over AI protections after negotiations with representatives of triple-A gaming companies stalled out for months. SAG-AFTRA recently announced that negotiations had resumed on October 23, almost a whole year since the two groups last came to the table. However, the strike remains in effect while dates for further negotiations are determined.

Rebekah Valentine is a senior reporter for IGN. You can find her posting on BlueSky @duckvalentine.bsky.social. Got a story tip? Send it to rvalentine@ign.com.