SAG-AFTRA ends strike after securing a deal that protects members 'from the threat of AI'

The Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) has officially ended its strike, which lasted for 118 days, after reaching a tentative agreement with Hollywood studios. In its announcement, it said it was able to secure a contract "valued at over 1 billion dollars" and that it was able to negotiate "above-pattern" compensation increases, as well as "unprecedented provisions for consent and compensation that will protect members from the threat of AI."

In a contract valued at over one billion dollars, we have achieved a deal of extraordinary scope that includes "above-pattern" minimum compensation increases, unprecedented provisions for consent and compensation that will protect members from the threat of AI,... pic.twitter.com/lQe6snkQsY

— SAG-AFTRA (@sagaftra) November 9, 2023

The union will release more details about the agreement after its national board looks it over on Friday for "review and consideration." However, generative AI became the sticking point that prevented both parties from being able to strike a deal earlier than this. According to a previous report by The Hollywood Reporter, the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) wanted to make AI scans of Schedule F performers — union members earning more than $32,000 per TV episode or $60,000 per film — which they could then keep reusing without having to pay them again. Studios could even continue using the actors' likeness after they pass away without permission from the union or from their estate. Variety says AMPTP has agreed to adjust the language it used for AI in its proposal, which has presumably led to the tentative agreement. 

In September, the Writers Guild of America (WGA) also officially ended its strike after securing a deal with AI provisions it approved of. Under the terms of its new contract, studios can't use generative AI to write or rewrite literary material, and anything it produces cannot be considered source material. Studios can't force writers to use generative AI software unless they want to, and they have to disclose whether materials handed over to a writer include anything generated by AI. Finally, "exploitation of writers' material to train AI" is explicitly prohibited. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/sag-aftra-ends-strike-after-securing-a-deal-that-protects-members-from-the-threat-of-ai-035253314.html?src=rss

https://www.engadget.com https://www.engadget.com/sag-aftra-ends-strike-after-securing-a-deal-that-protects-members-from-the-threat-of-ai-035253314.html?src=rss

Created 1y | Nov 9, 2023, 4:40:19 AM


Login to add comment

Other posts in this group

Framework pauses some US laptop sales due to tariffs

Consumer electronics brand Framework a

Apr 7, 2025, 11:50:04 PM | Engadget
Waymo has 'no plans' to sell ads to riders based on camera data

Rumors circulated today that robotaxi company Waymo might use data from vehicles' interior cameras to train AI and sell targeted ads to riders. However, the company has tried to quell concerns, ins

Apr 7, 2025, 11:50:03 PM | Engadget
Switch 2 game-key cards won't be tied to your Nintendo account

Players are gearing up for the arrival of the

Apr 7, 2025, 9:30:13 PM | Engadget
The White House has reportedly settled on an explanation for how 'Signalgate' happened

After an internal investigation, The White House has come up with a likely explanation for how Jeffrey Goldberg, the editor-in-chief of The Atlantic, was included in a Signal chat filled w

Apr 7, 2025, 9:30:12 PM | Engadget
2025 Hugo Award game finalists include Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom and Dragon Age: The Veilguard

The Hugo Awards began honoring video games for the first time back in 2021. This wee

Apr 7, 2025, 7:10:22 PM | Engadget
How to use lossless audio on the AirPods Max

When the AirPods Max arrived in late 2020, there wasn’t much spatial audio content for Ap

Apr 7, 2025, 7:10:21 PM | Engadget