Actors vs AI: The battle for creative control — WGA and SAG-AFTRA seek strong AI regulations amidst strike

As the Writer's Guild of America (WGA) continues its strike, the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) has also raised its voice in a fight to protect the future of creative professions against the rise of generative artificial intelligence (AI) in Hollywood. The use of AI technology, which can replicate human faces, voices, and even create images and text, poses an existential threat to actors, writers, and other creatives, leading to demands for strict AI regulations.

Fran Drescher, president of SAG-AFTRA, emphasized the urgent need for safeguards in a news conference. She warned that AI presents an imminent danger of replacing human talent and identity, and all actors deserve protection against the exploitation of their skills without consent and fair compensation. The entertainment industry's concerns extend to writers, who have been on strike for over two months, calling for explicit AI regulations to safeguard their works.

AI's Growing Presence in Hollywood

Generative AI technology has evolved significantly, creating realistic images and text, with chatbots like ChatGPT gaining popularity in Hollywood. However, such AI tools have limitations, often producing derivative and factually incorrect content when asked to create creatively.

The Battle for Contractual Protections

Duncan Crabtree-Ireland, SAG-AFTRA's chief negotiator, expressed concern over the studios' proposals exploiting actors without speaking roles. The debate centers on the ownership and usage of background performers' digital replicas, with the alliance representing Hollywood studios asserting consent and minimum payment requirements.

Different Union Approaches

The Director's Guild of America (DGA), in contrast to WGA and SAG-AFTRA, reached a tentative agreement with studios and secured AI protections in its contract. The agreement states that duties performed by DGA members must be assigned to a person, not generative AI.

The timing of union contract expirations coincided with the increased availability of generative AI technology, allowing the guilds to address AI concerns in their negotiations effectively. Meanwhile, entertainers like comedian Sarah Silverman and two authors have taken legal action against prominent generative AI companies, OpenAI and Facebook's Meta, filing copyright infringement lawsuits.

Pushing for Aggressive Demands

Filmmaker Alex Winter, a member of all three guilds, emphasized the importance of taking an extreme position on AI rights due to the uncertainties surrounding the technology. Winter stressed the need for aggressive demands to prevent AI from encroaching on creative labor.

FAQs

Q1:What does WGA do?
The Guild handles contract negotiations and administration to safeguard the creative and economic rights of its members. It organizes programs, seminars, and events focused on writers' interests while advocating for their perspectives with various government entities.

Q2:What does SAG-AFTRA do?
SAG-AFTRA is dedicated to organizing all work conducted under its purview, ensuring the best wages, working conditions, and health and pension benefits through negotiations. It aims to preserve and expand work opportunities for its members, actively enforcing contracts and safeguarding against unauthorized use of their work.