Actors Fear Potential Role Takeover by AI-Generated Characters: Here’s the Reasoning

For over a century, filmmakers have been showcasing monsters on the big screen. However, in 2023, the real monster is no longer a mythical creature but artificial intelligence.

The use of AI in the film and television industry has sparked intense debate among Hollywood studios and performers since June. This disagreement over AI was one of the reasons why the SAG-AFTRA union, which represents actors and media professionals, recently went on strike alongside the writers guild for the first time in 63 years.

One of the actors’ greatest fears is the emergence of synthetic performers created using AI technology. They are concerned that these AI-generated actors, known as “metahumans,” will ultimately replace them and steal their roles.

Carly Turro, an actress who has appeared in shows like “Homeland,” expressed her deep concerns, stating, “If it were not a significant issue to plan on utilizing AI to replace actors, it would be a straightforward inclusion in the contract, giving us some peace of mind. The fact that they are unwilling to do so is terrifying when considering the future of art and entertainment as a career.”

One contentious issue revolves around the creation of synthetic performers using a combination of actors’ images. Although this hasn’t been implemented yet, studios are aiming to grant themselves the right to do so through contract negotiations.

Duncan Crabtree-Ireland, the chief negotiator for SAG-AFTRA, describes AI as an “existential crisis” for actors who fear that their past, present, and future work could be used to generate synthetic performers who can replace them. The union’s stance is not to ban AI entirely but to ensure that companies consult with them and obtain approval before casting a synthetic performer in place of a human actor.

Sources familiar with the matter claim that the major film and television producers have addressed the union’s concerns in their latest proposal. However, the union has yet to respond to this proposal, according to studio insiders.

As part of their position, the studios have agreed to notify SAG if they plan to use a synthetic performer instead of a human actor who would have been hired for the role. This allows the union an opportunity to negotiate and protect the interests of actors.

Digitally Replicating Performers

Another point of contention is the creation of digital replicas of background performers. The major studios, represented by the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers, have stated that they will seek an actor’s permission to use their digital replica in any motion picture outside the production for which the performer was initially hired.

The studios have also expressed their willingness to negotiate with actors regarding compensation when their digital duplicate is employed. However, they have made it clear that the virtual version of the actor cannot replace the minimum number of background actors required under the SAG agreement.

SAG argues that the studios’ proposal goes against the idea of additional compensation, as they are requesting consent at the time of initial employment. According to Crabtree-Ireland, this effectively means that the companies can threaten background performers saying, “If you don’t provide us with the consent we demand, we won’t hire you and will replace you with someone else.” He emphasizes that this is not genuine consent.

In addition, studios are keen on continuing the practice of 3D body scans to capture an actor’s likeness for the purpose of creating AI-generated digital replicas. These images would be used in post-production to replace an actor’s face or to create on-screen doubles.

The producers have promised to obtain a performer’s consent and negotiate separately for subsequent uses of their digital replica. Crabtree-Ireland asserts that studios can already do this with proper consent and compensation. The union’s concern lies in the studios’ desire to retain the rights to these digital replicas for future works, effectively taking ownership of the virtual persona.

Similarly, the studios want the ability to digitally alter performances in post-production, as long as it aligns with the character, script, and director’s vision. This flexibility could save significant costs by avoiding the need for reshoots. However, SAG interprets this as AI overreach and insists that permission must be sought before making any changes to an actor’s image, likeness, or voice.

Crabtree-Ireland highlights, “Traditional editing methods cannot create a new scene that never existed before.”

© Thomson Reuters 2023

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