SAG-AFTRA Board Members Vote Against New Contract Over AI Concerns
After 118 days of striking, members of the SAG-AFTRA board voted last Friday to approve a new contract, with 86% of the weighted vote in favor. However, two board members, Shaan Sharma and Anne-Marie Johnson, voted against the contract, citing concerns over the protection of actors against artificial intelligence (AI).
Both Sharma and Johnson expressed reservations about the new contract, particularly in relation to the impact of AI on the entertainment industry. “There should be no AI. Only human beings should be used in what we create for public consumption,” said Johnson. Sharma also raised concerns about “significant loopholes” in the AI language that left “existential threats to some of our categories of work.”
The 18-page summary of the agreement released by SAG-AFTRA establishes consent and compensation requirements for the use of AI to generate “digital doubles.” However, the contract does not prohibit AI, and it does relatively little to stop studios from training on actors’ performances to create “synthetic” performers.
During an informational meeting with SAG-AFTRA members, Fran Drescher, the union’s president, and Duncan Crabtree-Ireland, the executive director, defended the AI provisions of the contract. Crabtree-Ireland acknowledged that the deal is not “perfect” and stated that the union will have to keep fighting to get further protections in future contracts.
However, criticism of the contract continues, with former SAG board member Justine Bateman being an outspoken critic of the AI terms. Bateman emphasized the need for actors to be aware of the threat posed by AI and advised them to talk to their agents and lawyers about how to bargain individually for more robust AI protections.
The deadline for members to vote on the ratification of the contract is December 5. While it is likely that the deal will be ratified, given the historical trend, the dissenting members have voiced their concerns and are advocating for more robust protections against AI in the entertainment industry.