Duncan Crabtree-Ireland, executive director of SAG-AFTRA, emphasized the importance of collective bargaining as the most effective way to regulate AI technology. This statement was made at an AFL-CIO workers' summit in Washington. The growing adoption of AI in the United States has outpaced regulatory efforts, leading the union to take action to protect actors' rights and control the use of technology in the film industry.

The negotiation of a new contract with Hollywood studios, whose current agreement expires in June, focuses on limiting the use of AI performers. This includes digital replicas of actors and 'synthetic' characters that do not correspond to real people. The proposed 'Tilly tax', named after the controversial AI actress Tilly Norwood, seeks to levy a fee on 'synthetic' performers to match the cost of their use with that of real actors.

The main goal of the 'Tilly tax' is to ensure that economic incentives favor work for human actors. Crabtree-Ireland emphasized the need to ensure that AI does not replace actors, but is used in a way that benefits the industry as a whole. The union's concern lies in the potential impact of AI on actors' jobs and the integrity of the film industry.

The measure seeks to ensure that using AI is no more economical than hiring real actors, thus protecting the jobs and income of union members.

After a nearly four-month strike in 2023, which paralyzed Hollywood, SAG-AFTRA secured various AI-related protections for its members. These protections include requirements for studios to obtain informed consent and provide fair compensation for the use of digital replicas. This agreement represents a significant step forward in protecting actors' rights against the advancement of AI technology in the film industry.

The current negotiations build on these achievements, seeking to further strengthen protections for actors and ensure ethical and fair use of AI in film production.

In addition to contract negotiations, Crabtree-Ireland urged Congress to pass the NO FAKES Act, a bipartisan bill. This law would give people ownership over their own voice and likeness, protecting them from unauthorized AI-generated replicas, known as deepfakes. The passage of this law would be a crucial step in safeguarding people's identity and rights in the age of AI.

The NO FAKES Act seeks to establish a legal framework to prevent the misuse of AI technology, ensuring that people have control over their own digital representation and protecting them from potential harm.

SAG-AFTRA's strategy focuses on balancing technological innovation with the protection of workers' rights. The union seeks to ensure that AI is implemented responsibly and ethically, avoiding the exploitation of actors and guaranteeing a sustainable future for the film industry. The ultimate goal is to create an environment where AI and human actors can coexist productively.

The combination of collective bargaining, contractual protections, and support for legislation, such as the NO FAKES Act, reflects a comprehensive approach to addressing the challenges posed by AI in the entertainment industry.