As part of its efforts to build industry standards around artificial intelligence protections for actors, SAG-AFTRA announced Monday an agreement with artificial intelligence company Ethovox as it creates a “core 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 model’s development will receive both session fees and ongoing revenue sharing throughout the model’s life. basis.

Additionally, no actor will have their voice recognizably replicated by the model, as it requires volumes of voice samples to build a base.

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

“Ethovox is the only voice AI company owned and operated by voice actors, and we are excited to partner with SAG-AFTRA to build a core voice AI model that prioritizes the interests of voice actors,” Jones said in a statement. “AI should be a choice. For this reason, we reached out to the voice actor community throughout this process. Ethovox will continue to do so, proving that artists can and should be compensated for contributing to the ethical development of AI while retaining consent and control over their voice data.”

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

While the agreements 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 stressed the importance of building a standard for the ethical use of AI to counter exploitation of actors’ performance and likenesses without their consent or compensation.

“What will protect voice actors’ livelihoods in the age of AI is more contract 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 guidelines. Not everyone will want to work with an AI company, and that’s understandable. But for those who intend to use the opportunities offered by artificial intelligence, it is important that agreements require companies to obtain informed consent and provide fair compensation. Without informed consent and fair compensation, this new era will become a ‘Wild West’ of artificial intelligence misuse and abuse.”

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

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