ACTRA survey reveals Canadian performers’ concerns on AI

Ninety-eight percent of respondents cited the potential misuse of their name, image and likeness rights as a concern.

A  new survey from the Alliance of Canadian Cinema, Television and Radio Artists (ACTRA) regarding the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in the entertainment sector shows a strong majority of Canadian performers are concerned about the potential misuse of their name, image and likeness rights.

Ninety-eight percent of respondents identified the rights issue as a concern in the AI Survey conducted by ACTRA National. Another notable result from the survey shows that 93% of respondents think AI will eventually replace human actors in certain roles and performances in the entertainment industry.

All of ACTRA’s more than 28,000 members were invited to take part in the survey, which closed on Dec. 4, 2023. The union did not specify how many participated.

An ACTRA National spokesperson told Playback Daily that the union will use the results of the survey to “continue to advocate for protections in this area [AI] both through legislation and in collective bargaining, and plans to engage and leverage the strength of the membership to ensure our members’ voices are heard.”

The results also show that 78% of those surveyed believe advocating for actors is a top priority of ACTRA; 65% are “familiar” or “very familiar” with the use of AI in the film, TV and digital media industry; and 61% are concerned AI has “significant negative impacts by replacing performers from equity-seeking groups.”

The survey results were published amid ongoing negotiations between the Writers Guild of Canada (WGC) and the Canadian Media Producers Association (CMPA) on a new three-year Independent Production Agreement (IPA), with regulation of AI in the screen industry a key issue.

ACTRA, among other unions and guilds, has voiced support for the WGC in its negotiations with the CMPA.

ACTRA’s own IPA with the CMPA expires Dec. 31, with negotiations to begin later this year.

Concerns about the use of AI to potentially replace performer jobs and misuse their likeness were raised in the 118-day strike by Screen Actors Guild–American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) in the U.S. which ended on Nov. 9, 2023, after reaching an agreement with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers.

The agreement includes clear definitions on the digital replication or alteration of performers, as well as generative AI, a requirement for consent and compensation to create or use a digital replica, and rules around the creation of “synthetic performers.”

With files from Kelly Townsend

Image: Unsplash