SAG-AFTRA thanks California for protecting dead actors from artificial intelligence

The Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) thanked California for its role in strengthening protections against artificial intelligence after the country voted unanimously to pass the Digital Replica Bill.

“Thank you to the members of the California Judicial Senate for unanimously passing AB 1836,” the union wrote on X on Wednesday. The post was accompanied by a photo of the members of the California Judicial Senate. “One more step closer to ensuring AI protections for California’s deceased artists. #ProtectArtists.”

Jodi Long, vice president of SAG-AFTRA and president of the Los Angeles chapter, wrote in her response to the vote: “We should have the freedom to live and die without becoming someone else’s unpaid digital puppet.”

Their praise comes after California lawmakers pushed forward with revising state law AB 1836, also known as the California Digital Replica Bill. If enacted, it would prevent the unauthorized use of a deceased artist’s image or likeness in film, television or music. According to its definition, the bill describes the use of AI as a “digital replica of a deceased person,” including a person’s voice, or use “in any manner related to work the deceased person did during their lifetime.”

Ultimately, the bill would expand on the gains made by SAG-AFTRA in its fight to protect AI. Elsewhere, California’s AB 2602 addresses consent to digital replicas in the context of performance agreements for video games, audiobooks, and more.

Last June, New York State passed a similar law for artists called the Digital Replica Contracts Act, which had previously been unanimously passed by the New York State Senate.

“The bill would require performers to obtain consent and be represented by an attorney or union before a company can acquire rights to digitally reproduce their voice or image to replace physical work,” the Screen Actors Guild previously told TheWrap in a statement. SAG-AFTRA noted that these rights are sometimes “hidden in the fine print of contracts or terms of service,” which can lead to performers unknowingly waiving their rights.

The next step for California’s Digital Replica Bill is for it to move to the second chamber before it is officially and potentially passed.