According to Cointelegraph, a California lawmaker, Assembly Member Ash Kalra, has introduced a bill aimed at protecting actors, artists, and entertainers from artificial intelligence exploitation. The bill, Assembly Bill 459, mandates that employment contracts include informed consent when it comes to digital replicates created by generative AI. Kalra argues that AI presents a real threat to workers in the entertainment industry and should be banned unless a bargaining agreement is made between the parties involved.
The legislation will be assigned to a committee for research, discussion, and potential changes before being put before the chamber for a vote. Kalra stated that common sense requirements, like those in bill AB 459, need to be implemented to protect workers from unknowingly losing the right to their digital self, which could jeopardize their careers and livelihoods. The bill is supported by the Screen Actors Guild and American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA), a labor union representing over 100,000 media professionals worldwide.
Duncan Crabtree-Ireland, the guildâs national executive director and chief negotiator, emphasized the necessity of protecting an actorâs digital image through consent-based laws. He expressed concern over the proliferation of AI-created audio and video content without full consent and believes that legislation is an important step in ending potentially abusive or exploitative practices. The Screen Actors Guild has been involved in an ongoing strike action in Hollywood over base compensation, better working conditions, and other issues, including the use of AI and the demand for stricter protections against it and larger royalties for their work, known as residuals.
