Creative Artists Agency (CAA), one of the top talent agencies in entertainment and sports, wants to be at the forefront of AI protection services for Hollywood celebrities.
Because many stars have their digital likenesses used without their permission, CAA is creating a virtual media storage system that allows A-list talent (actors, athletes, comedians, directors, musicians, etc.) to store digital assets such as names and images. I built it. , digital scanning, audio recording, etc. This new development is part of the company's studio “theCAAvault'', where the actor uses scanning technology to record his body, face, movements and voice, and AI clones him.
CAA is partnering with AI technology company Veritone to provide digital asset management solutions, the company announced earlier this week.
The announcement comes amid a wave of AI deepfakes of celebrities, which are often created without the celebrity's consent. Tom Hanks, a famous actor and his CAA customer, said that seven months ago he became a victim of an AI scam. He claimed that a company used his AI-generated video without permission to promote a dental plan.
“Over the past few years or so, our clients’ names, images, likenesses and voices have been misused on a massive scale without their consent, without credit, and without proper compensation. The laws are now in place to protect them. It's clear that there isn't, and that's why we're seeing a lot of backlog of litigation right now,” Shannon said.
Creating digital clones requires large amounts of personal data, but the risk of sensitive information being compromised or misused raises many privacy concerns. CAA clients can now store their AI digital doubles and other assets in a secure private hub within CAAvault that is accessible only to authorized users, and can share and monetize the content as they wish. Masu.
“This allows us to start setting a precedent for what consensual AI use looks like,” Alexandra Shannon, head of strategic development at CAA, told TechCrunch. “Frankly, our view is that the law is going to take time to catch up, so by allowing talent to create and own their own digital likeness, [theCAAvault]…There are legitimate ways for companies to work with our customers. If a third party chooses not to cooperate in an appropriate manner, it will be much easier to prove that there has been a violation of its rights in a legal case, which will help protect your client in the long run. ”
Notably, the vault also ensures that actors and other talent are fairly compensated when companies use their digital likenesses.
“All these assets are owned by the individual client, so it is primarily up to the client to decide whether to grant access to someone else. It is also entirely up to the talent to decide on the right business model for the opportunity. This is a new space and is very much taking shape. We believe the value and opportunity of these assets will increase over time. This is a cheaper way to collaborate with someone. Shouldn't be…we think [AI clones] Not as a cost-cutting measure, but as an enhancement,” Shannon added.
CAA also represents Ariana Grande, Beyoncé, Reese Witherspoon, Steven Spielberg and Zendaya.
The use of AI clones has caused a lot of debate in Hollywood, with some believing it could reduce job opportunities as studios might choose digital clones over real actors. This is a key issue in the 2023 SAG-AFTRA strike, with members recognizing the importance of human performers and establishing a new agreement with AMPTP (Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers) that includes guidelines on how to “go digital”. After approving the agreement, it ended in November. Replica” must be used.
There are also concerns about AI clones of deceased celebrities being misused, which could cause trouble for their families. Robin Williams' daughter, for example, expressed disdain for the star's AI-generated audio recordings. But others argue that, if done ethically, it could be a sentimental way to preserve an iconic actor and recreate their performances in future projects for all generations to enjoy. Masu.
“AI cloning is an effective tool that allows legacy to live on for future generations. CAA takes a consent and permission-based approach to all AI applications, and these similar assets “We only deal with assets that we own and have permission to use. It's up to the artist to decide who will have ownership and permission to use them after their death,” Shannon said.
Shannon declined to say which of CAA's customers currently have AI clones in storage, but said it's only a select few customers at this point. CAA also charges clients a fee to participate in the vault, but does not say exactly how much that will cost.
“The ultimate goal is to make this available to all clients and everyone in the industry. It's not cheap by any means, but the cost will continue to come down over time,” she added.