SAG-AFTRA Inks Deal With AI Company Ethovox To Build Foundational Voice Model For Digital Replicas

SAG-AFTRA has inked a deal with the AI company Ethovox as it creates a “foundational voice model” that serves as the basis for digital replicas.

According to the union, the contract “leads the field in performer compensation,” because it requires session fees as well as ongoing revenue sharing through the life of the foundational model. In addition to securing proper compensation for SAG-AFTRA members who want to participate in the building of the model, the union says it has secured a “commitment to diversity and inclusion” from Ethovox.

The foundational voice model will not be user-facing, and the voices included in the model will not be identifiable in generated speech.

“Ethovox is the only voice AI company owned and managed by voice actors, and we are pleased to be partnering with SAG-AFTRA on building a foundational voice A.I. model that prioritizes the interests of voice actors,” Ethovox CEO Cissy Jones said in a statement. “A.I. should be a choice. For that reason, we have reached out to the voice actor community throughout this process. Ethovox will continue to do so as we demonstrate that artists can, and should, be compensated for contributing to ethical A.I. development while also maintaining consent and control over their voice data.”

This is one of several deals that SAG-AFTRA has made with AI companies over the last year. In August, the union announced it had an agreement with Narrativ to allow members to license their digital voice replica for use in audio ads. That came after a deal in January that gave Replica Studios the ability to use members’ AI digital voice replicas in video games.

SAG-AFTRA National Executive Director and Chief Negotiator Duncan Crabtree-Ireland has been vocal about the union’s desire to continue partnering with AI companies to ensure members are properly protected as the tech makes its way deeper into the entertainment industry. In addition to these deals, SAG-AFTRA has backed several AI bills at the state and federal level aimed at establishing guardrails around its use not only with performers but also with laypeople.

This announcement comes one day after the actors’ union revealed it has still been unable to seal the deal on a new Interactive Media Agreement due to ongoing disagreement with 10 of the major video game developers on the contract’s AI provisions. More talks are being scheduled, but bargaining has continued off-and-on for about two years, as the sides have been operating without a contract since November 2022.

In a statement Monday, Crabtree-Ireland lauded the deal with Ethovox, calling for “more contractual protection, not less” in the age of AI.

“Not everyone will want to work with an A.I. company, and that’s understandable. But for those who intend to utilize the opportunities A.I. offers, it’s important that agreements require companies to secure informed consent, and provide fair compensation,” the statement said. “Without informed consent and fair compensation, this new era will become a ‘Wild West’ of A.I. misuse and exploitation.”