{"id":7444,"date":"2025-01-10T07:28:51","date_gmt":"2025-01-10T07:28:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.spotlight.com\/?p=7444"},"modified":"2026-04-08T15:20:15","modified_gmt":"2026-04-08T15:20:15","slug":"artificial-intelligence-and-performer-legal-rights","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.spotlight.com\/news-and-advice\/the-spotlight-podcast\/artificial-intelligence-and-performer-legal-rights\/","title":{"rendered":"The Spotlight Podcast: AI and Performer Rights"},"content":{"rendered":"

Solicitor Tony Morris joins us in the Spotlight studio to talk about artificial intelligence and what performers should know about copyright law and contracts when it comes to protecting their identity and work.<\/span><\/h2>\n

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is developing at an incredibly fast pace and is becoming more prevalent in our daily lives. Whilst AI offers certain creative freedoms, so too does it raise some challenges when it comes to regulation, fair compensation and a potential threat to job security.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

As we saw in the <\/span>SAG-AFTRA strikes<\/span><\/a> in the US, concerns are growing over the increased use of generative AI and other digital technologies by studios to replicate performers\u2019 faces and voices. Provisions were eventually made in the agreement made between the union and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) that <\/span>guardrails the use of AI<\/span><\/a>. In short, studios agreed to gain consent from actors before creating digital replicas of them, and payment should be made to them for such use.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

In December of last year, the British government published a <\/span>consultation paper on copyright and artificial intelligence<\/span><\/a>, proposing changes to the copyright legal framework in light of the scale of growth in the AI sector. In the consultation it was noted that \u201c<\/span>the rapid pace of AI development and its increasing adoption is undoubtedly challenging for all. All sectors are having to adapt to embrace the benefits of AI and grapple with its disruptive effect. This is particularly true in the creative industries, as highlighted by the debate over AI and copyright.<\/span>\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Change, it seems, is coming. But what protections are there for performers in the meantime?<\/span><\/p>\n

Whilst there currently isn\u2019t any legislation in place that specifically deals with artificial intelligence, there are some legal protections for performers to be aware of, and that\u2019s what you\u2019ll find out more about in this podcast episode.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

We\u2019re joined by <\/span>Tony Morris<\/span><\/a>, a solicitor who has worked in the entertainment industry for many decades. A partner at <\/span>Level<\/span><\/a>, Tony specialises in <\/span>contractual, commercial, and intellectual property issues. He also happens to be the author of The Filmmakers\u2019 Legal Guide – a non-legal legal guide on how to navigate the complex legal landscape of the film industry. So we thought, who better to talk to on the subject of AI and a performer\u2019s legal rights?<\/span><\/p>\n

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We tackle a number of topics and in the episode such as:<\/span><\/p>\n