SAG-AFTRA, the US performers’ union, has achieved a landmark protection agreement for AI-generated use of performers’ vocal recordings. If ratified by members, the agreement will protect songs recorded from 2021 to 2026 from AI manipulation without clear and informed consent from the artist. Covering both existing and future recordings, the deal has been made with influential music groups including Sony, Universal, Warner, and Disney. In addition to a solid consent requirement, the artist must be clearly compensated and informed about how their digitally duplicated voice will be used.
While the SAG-AFTRA agreement promises much-needed protection for vocal performers, instrumentalists will still be vulnerable to non-consensual AI manipulation as their union, the American Federation of Musicians (AFM), is not included in this deal.
The issue of AI manipulation has been notably pertinent in the music industry, due to music generation tools like Udio and Suno, which have been caught reproducing internationally recognised tunes. Notably, without consulting with creators or obtaining consent beforehand, it is likely that thousands of copyrighted works were used to train these tools. This has sparked friction within the industry, leading to an open letter from 200 artists, including Stevie Wonder and Katy Perry, voicing their concern about AI rights infringement.
The SAG-AFTRA agreement is seen as a positive step towards protecting artists, however, there is a growing concern that when the agreement ends in 2026, AI technology will have significantly progressed. This could make it more difficult for SAG-AFTRA to renegotiate favorable terms for artists in the future, reminiscent of the renegotiations they had to undergo with TV and film producers.
