SAG-AFTRA has struck a deal with AI startup Narrativ for audio voice replicas in digital advertising that the union asserts sets “a new standard” for ethical use of the technology and also makes it easy for performers to give consent and get paid.
The New York-based Narrativ operates an online marketplace that offers tools to advertisers to create audio spots using AI tools. The firm’s new agreement with SAG-AFTRA promises to give the union’s 160,000 members the opportunity to add themselves to a database that connects voice talent to advertisers. The individual members will have the ability to negotiate fees for the use of their voice on a project by project basis, so long as the fee isn’t lower than SAG-AFTRA’s minimum per its most recent commercials contract with advertisers.
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In negotiations with the union, Narrativ agreed to SAG-AFTRA’s informed consent and compensation requirements, among other “crucial A.I. guardrails.” Narrativ was founded in 2022.
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“Not all members will be interested in taking advantage of the opportunities that licensing their digital voice replicas might offer, and that’s understandable. But for those who do, you now have a safe option,” said Duncan Crabtree-Ireland, SAG-AFTRA’s national executive director and chief negotiator. “Narrativ has agreed to our terms, and its platform is an excellent example of how A.I. can be ethically used, by putting compensation, informed consent and control in the hands of individual performers.”
The union emphasized that the deal was approved by its National Executive Committee. “SAG-AFTRA and Narrativ are setting a new standard for the ethical use of A.I.-generated voice replicas in digital advertising,” the union stated.
Narrativ’s marketplace feature allows performers to list their personal preferences and other details to guide potential advertisers. Every ad created via the Narrativ platform will generate a pension and health contribution for the performer or performers, SAG-AFTRA said.
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“This structure ensures fair compensation and transparency. Brands must secure consent from performers for every use of their digital voice replica in an ad,” SAG-AFTRA said. “When offering an engagement to a performer, a producer must identify the product or service that is being promoted in the commercial they are creating and provide the commercial script. If an advertiser does not align with the performer’s preferences, or they don’t like the copy, they can easily deny the request.”
SAG-AFTRA is eager to establish business deals with AI firms like Narrativ that will help cement standards for mandating consent and compensation for actors whenever their names, likeness, voices and images are manipulated via artificial intelligence. The governance of AI is sure to be a major area of focus for the union in coming years. AI-related copyright cases are also multiplying in federal and state courts.
“This is a new frontier for digital advertising. A.I. makes the dream of every marketer possible — it gives them the tools to deliver the right message, using a voice that will resonate with the right person, at the right place and time,” said Narrativ co-founder Ben Gottdiener. “Ethical A.I. use doesn’t invalidate that vision. It strengthens it. By ensuring that every person involved in the creation of that message is informed about what it contains, consents to its use and is compensated fairly, we make that vision sustainable, repeatable and real.”
News of the Narrativ-SAG-AFTRA pact was keenly noted by the fast-growing AI tech sector. Alex Persky-Stern, CEO of Waymark, a firm that works with local TV stations to create inexpensive ads use AI tech, called it a “watershed moment” for the nascent industry.
“This deal with Narrativ feels like a bit of a watershed moment for how we approach AI in creative fields. What’s got me really excited is how it puts humans at the helm, which is something we’ve always championed at Waymark,” Persky-Stern told Variety. “It gives actors full control over their digital voice replicas. They choose their rates, they specify ad preferences, and they have to give the thumbs up for every single use. That’s consent and transparency in action. Plus, it’s completely opt-in. No one’s forced to participate if they’re not comfortable with it. This is exactly how AI should be used: as a tool that saves time and expands creative possibilities, not as a replacement for human artistry and talent.”
SAG-AFTRA officials are scheduled to hold an Instragram Live Q&A session on the Narrativ pact with members at 3 p.m. PT on Aug. 14.
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