SAG-AFTRA Reaches Deal on AI Protections With Digital Replica Company Ethovox

As part of its efforts to build industry standards around artificial intelligence protections for actors, SAG-AFTRA announced a deal with AI company Ethovox on Monday as it creates a “foundational voice model” that serves as the basis for digital replicas.

As part of the contract with Ethovox, which was founded by video game voice actor Cissy Jones, SAG-AFTRA members who lend their voices to the development of the model will receive both session fees and ongoing revenue sharing for the life of the foundational model.

In addition, no single actor will have their voice recognizably replicated by the model, as it requires volumes of voice samples to build a foundation.

The Ethovox model will not be user-facing, and the voices included in the model will not be identifiable in any of the speech generated.

“Ethovox is the only voice AI company owned and managed by voice actors, and we are pleased to be partnering with SAG-AFTRA on building a foundational voice AI model that prioritizes the interests of voice actors,” Jones said in a statement. “AI should be a choice. For that reason, we have reached out to the voice actor community throughout this process. Ethovox will continue to do so as we demonstrate that artists can, and should, be compensated for contributing to ethical AI development while also maintaining consent and control over their voice data.”

The Ethovox deal joins those made by SAG-AFTRA with other AI companies, including Narrativ, which will allow members to license their digital voice replica for use in audio ads, and video game voice company Replica Studios.

While the deals have been met with some pushback from SAG-AFTRA members who see any use of AI as a threat to their livelihoods, national executive director Duncan Crabtree-Ireland has stressed the importance of building a standard of ethical AI use to counter exploitation of actors’ performance and likenesses without their consent or compensation.

“What will safeguard voice actors’ livelihoods in the AI age is more contractual protection, not less,” Crabtree-Ireland said. “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.”

Meanwhile, SAG-AFTRA is scheduling a new round of negotiations with video game companies signed to the Interactive Media Agreement, looking to reach a deal after going on strike this past July over what the union says are inadequate proposed AI protections.

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