SAG-AFTRA members voted to ratify the 2024 Recording Code, which requires record labels — Warner Music Group, Sony Music Entertainment, Universal Music Group and Disney Music Group — to comply with AI safety rules. Notably, these are the first explicitly defined compensation requirements for the release of recordings containing artificial intelligence voices.
By a vote of 97.69% to 2.31%, SAG-AFTRA members, which include actors as well as singers and artists, will now receive those protections, effective immediately, for the 2021-2026 term. Now, the term “artist”, “singer” and “royal artist” under this agreement can only refer to human talent. “Clear and conspicuous” consent is required before releasing a recording that uses a digital reproduction of an artist's voice.
Reproduced artists also have the right to receive specific details regarding the intended use of the copy and minimum compensation. Compensation for artists must be in line with the royalty share the artist would earn on other recordings under their contract, and session singers must receive at least three sides per project. A minimum of 28 hours notice is expected for any recording session for the purpose of creating a digital copy and this session time should be billed as work time.
In addition, general consent for digital reproduction or reproduction of artificial intelligence is prohibited. Instead, labels must obtain consent on a project-by-project basis – a provision that would prevent labels from asking artists to sign away their digital likeness for long terms as part of their deals.
In the year since Ghostwriter's fake song “Heart On My Sleeve” sparked debate about AI voices, little has been done to enforce artists' identities. While the federal government is considering a few bills (like the draft NO FAKES Act and the NO AI FRAUD Act) to create a national right of publicity that would create uniform protections for artists' names, images and voices, those protections, to currently, they remain a patchwork of disparate state laws that were largely written before AI introduced new use cases for AI.
“Singers and recording artists have a profound impact on our culture, and I'm thrilled that they've won a contract that not only recognizes their value with significant pay increases, but also provides them with meaningful protections around artificial intelligence,” said SAG-President AFTRA Fran Dresser. “Celebrating our human performers! I applaud the bargaining committee and staff, record labels and SAG-AFTRA members for getting this contract to the finish line!”
SAG-AFTRA National Executive Director & Chief Negotiator Duncan Crabtree-Ireland said, “This contract secures groundbreaking artificial intelligence guardrails while achieving critical and meaningful wage increases and other key wins for singers and recording artists. Protecting human artistry will always be SAG-AFTRA's priority, and I am pleased that our members have a contract that provides immediate benefits and recognizes the importance of human contributions to the industry. I also want to thank Negotiating Committee Chairman Dan Navarro and the entire committee and staff for their outstanding and dedicated work in reaching this agreement.”
President of the Recording Code Negotiation Committee Dan Navarro said, “Member feedback was instrumental in shaping this contract, and the negotiating committee prioritized the concerns most critical to the singers and recording artists affected by these terms. We are proud to have achieved these meaningful victories in AI protection along with significant wage increases and gains in health and retirement funding.”
Other wins included wage increases and gains in health and retirement funding. To read the full list of provisions, see here.
