SAG-AFTRA certifies television animation contracts that outline AI protections for voice actors

sag-avtra It approved new contracts for voice actors working in television animation after members’ votes reached more than 95 percent in favor of the terms. The three-year agreements stipulate new protections around the use of artificial intelligence, including a requirement that producers obtain an actor’s consent before using their name as a prompt to create an AI-generated voice. SAG-AFTRA announced the contracts had been approved Friday night. It will be valid until June 30, 2026.

For everything new shrinkage“The term ‘voice actor’ includes only human beings.” The contracts also outline voice actors’ rights over studios’ use of their digital replicants, and require producers to notify and negotiate with the union any time they use AI-generated voices in place of voice actors. “This is the first animation voice-over contract with SAG-AFTRA with protections against AI abuse,” Bob Bergen and David Joliffe, co-chairs of the Television Animation Negotiating Committee, said in a statement.

SAG-AFTRA Executive Director and Chief Negotiator Duncan Crabtree-Ireland said the agreement “represents a meaningful step forward in expanding our AI protections,” along with providing “important new provisions in the areas of foreign waste and high-budget SVOD.” [subscription video-on-demand] Production, late payments and much more. The contracts outline a series of pay increases, starting with a 7 percent increase dating back to July 1, 2023, for which actors will receive retroactive payments. This will be followed by a 4 percent increase on July 1 of this year, and a 3.5 percent increase the following year.

The union announced earlier this year that it had reached an agreement with AI voice generation company Replica Studios to give voice actors a way to “safely” license their digital voice replicas for video games. Protecting AI was also a critical element of the strike-ending deal SAG-AFTRA reached with Hollywood studios late last year.