Hollywood union strikes deal for advertisers to replicate actors' voices with AI

SAG-AFTRA union President Fran Drescher and SAG-AFTRA chief negotiator Duncan Crabtree-Ireland attend a press conference after SAG-AFTRA TV/Theatrical Committee approved a tentative agreement with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) to bring an end to the actors strike, in Los Angeles, California, U.S., November 10, 2023. REUTERS/Mike Blake/ File Photo

(Reuters) - The Hollywood actors' union SAG-AFTRA announced on Wednesday a deal with online talent marketplace Narrativ that enables actors to sell advertisers rights to replicate their voices with artificial intelligence.

As performers fear AI will make theft of their likenesses common, the new agreement seeks to ensure actors derive income from the technology and have control over how and when their voice replicas are used.