Synthetic/AI Voices - Take Action

We are a group of concerned actors who work the breadth of performance contracts and have joined together to address issues around the use of AI voices and performances in our industry. We have support from guilds, representatives, and performers around the world. You are receiving this as representatives of both union and non-union actors and/or individuals who would be solicited to and/or seek out performance work that can be used around AI technology. 

As the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology continues to evolve and grow across the entertainment industry (and technology at large), opportunities to exploit and harm performers also multiply. Most performers exploring AI performance replication work are unaware of or do not fully understand their rights regarding employment contracts. As AI work now covers much uncharted territory, it’s imperative that we collaborate to create and amend laws and contracts to protect both laymen and professional performers against deep fakes, improper use and exploitation of recorded performances. 

Our goals: 

• To create a standardized definition of this type of work, implement protections for performers, and do educational outreach to the creators and users of AI technology to foster fair and equitable work for everyone. 

• To actualize legal preservation of vocal likeness and performance integrity, and identify the industry-wide risks of AI voice technology around vocal identity misuse and/or malpractice. 

• To educate performers and their representatives around the future implications of single or multi-use vocal replication software and/or AI automation, and amend problematic contract terms and language before they become industry-wide.

• To create a standardized contract or set of contract clauses that properly protect against abuse and establish a baseline for acceptable rates.

Contracts for performers should include: 

• Safe Storage and tracking of the performer’s voice, likeness, performance and all products created from them. 

• Ability for the performer to consent to use. 

• Explicit limits on use of the results and proceeds of an AI voice. 

• Ability to opt out or term limits for AI voice use.

• Appropriate payment for use.

• Clearly denoted exclusivity.

We are available for comments and/or discussion at vocalvariants@navavoices.org