Actors union SAG-AFTRA signs an agreement with AI voice company Ethovox

SAG-AFTRA, the labour union for American actors, has signed an agreement with a company that specialises in AI voice work.

As reported by Game Developer, the union has signed a deal with Ethovox, which it says will make sure any actor deciding to work with Ethovox will be “protected and compensated fairly”.

Ethovox, which claims to be the only “premium voice service created by actors and empowered by AI”, was co-founded by voice director Julian Kawsneski (who previously worked at Telltale Games) and voice actor Cissy Jones (Starfield, Firewatch).

The company makes digital, AI-powered replicas of performers’ voices, but promises that its clients have full control over how their digital replicas are used, and will be paid for that work.

SAG-AFTRA acknowledges that some of its performers do actually want to work with AI companies, and says its agreement with Ethovox will make sure that whose who do will work to a “consensual” model which guarantees them session fees and ongoing revenue sharing.

“SAG-AFTRA will continue to recognise AI companies, like Ethovox, that agree with our union’s AI guidelines,” SAG-AFTRA’s national executive director and chief negotiator Duncan Crabtree-Ireland said in a statement.

“Not everyone will want to work with an AI company, and that’s understandable. But for those who intend to utilise the opportunities AI offers, it’s important that agreements require companies to secure informed consent, and provide fair compensation.

“Without informed consent and fair compensation, this new era will become a ‘Wild West’ of AI misuse and exploitation.”

The union started a strike on July 26 after it said it had failed to negotiate acceptable protections around the use of AI for its members.

The strike remains active, meaning video game companies and their performance production arms – with the exception of those who have already signed agreements with SAG-AFTRA – likely won’t be able to hire unionised actors to perform motion capture or voiceover work for their games.