• Some actors regret selling their likenesses for AI videos: Cash-strapped actors like Adam Coy and Simon Lee sold their likenesses without fully understanding the consequences. Coy licensed his face and voice for $1000 for a year and was later shocked to find videos of himself as a doomsayer. Lee's AI likeness was used to promote questionable health cures, making him ashamed.
• AI avatar technology is growing: Companies like Synthesia are recruiting AI avatars. It doubled its valuation to $2.1 billion in January and struck a $2 billion deal with Shutterstock. Synthesia also launched an equity fund to incentivize actors to license their likenesses.
• Actors may not fully understand contracts: Lawyers like Alyssa Malchiodi say actors often don't understand what they're agreeing to in contracts, with broad and irrevocable language giving companies full ownership rights.
• Even ethical companies have issues: Synthesia, committed to ethical development, still had some videos slip through content moderation, like one used to promote a coup leader.
• Synthesia offers opt-outs: It is forming a talent program to give actors a voice in decision-making and has built security features to protect them. Actors can use opt-out controls at any time if they don't want their avatars used in new videos. However, it won't impact existing videos.