SAG-AFTRA's AI Protection Nearly a Deal Breaker in Actors Strike

Safeguards against artificial intelligence (AI) were a crucial aspect of the recently settled actors strike, according to SAG-AFTRA union leadership. The battle for actor protection from generative AI and the use of synthetic performers was fought until the final hours of negotiations. The three-year contract agreement between SAG-AFTRA and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) includes AI protections and pay gains for actors, particularly in streaming series. SAG-AFTRA President Fran Drescher emphasized the significance of AI protections, stating that they were a "deal breaker" in the negotiations. The agreement now awaits final ratification from the union's general membership.