Ask the Experts: Will AI Change Movies & TV as We Know it? New Framework Seeks to Protect Actors’ Identities & Rights – But May Not Be Enough

Most of us have likely seen or heard it over the last year: advancing Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies are making it easier than ever to create uncanny digital likenesses to real people, including the celebrities we’re used to seeing on the silver screen (or our own screens at home).

As we’ve seen examples online and the notion has been talked about more and more in the news, our first thought may have been something like, “wow this is incredible, but also a bit scary” and our second thought, “is this even legal?”

It’s a good question, and one without a simple answer.

In the media and entertainment industry, members of the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) union recently negotiated with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) to address concerns arising from use of AI to create digital replicas of human voices and images. The resulting agreement introduced a framework that seeks to safeguard performers' personal rights while acknowledging content creators’ rights of free expression. The agreement paves the way for future discussions on the intersection of personal rights and rapidly advancing AI technologies.

In our Ask the Experts series, Evynne Grover, vice president, media liability claims practice leader at QBE, delves into AI’s potential impact on personal image and voice rights. She provides expert insight on how the recent SAG-AFTRA agreement marks a significant step in the evolution of AI in the media and entertainment industry and the need for legal frameworks to address associated risks. For a detailed overview on the topic, read Evynne’s article, recently published in Law360, available on our Research & Insights page and watch the video below: