The Japan Actors Union, an industry organization representing approximately 2,600 actors and voice actors, recently announced a series of measures to protect performers' rights in the context of generative AI applications.
This topic has sparked heated debate in both Japan and the West. Nick Apostolides, the voice actor for Leon Kennedy, stated that AI voice acting is inherently contradictory: "AI can recite lines, but there is no human emotion or core behind them."
The union's proposed guidelines are not a comprehensive ban or strict control, but rather require informed consent from performers at "every stage" of AI application. Companies must clearly inform actors whether their voices will be used for AI training and negotiate compensation with them. In other words, consenting to have one's voice generated by AI for short video ads is akin to licensing one's likeness for use on cereal boxes, falling under the category of image licensing.
These informed consent guidelines also apply to AI-translated performances, while restrictions on mimicking the likeness and voice of deceased actors are even stricter. For instance, the appearance of the late rapper Tupac in the upcoming film "Stranger in Paradise" has sparked widespread controversy.
The guidelines explicitly prohibit using AI to replicate a deceased actor's voice unless they had given clear consent during their lifetime. Additionally, AI usage requires consent from the actor's surviving family members, estate administrators, or other relevant managing organizations, along with payment of royalties to these rights holders.
The union stated: "This regulation aims to protect the dignity, reputation, and artistic legacy of deceased performers from commercial exploitation. We will respect the wishes of the deceased to the greatest extent possible. When generating AI-related content, formal permission must be obtained from family members (or administrators) who inherit the relevant rights to prevent desecration of the deceased."
The voice acting industry has already seen numerous AI-related controversies, such as AI simulating James Earl Jones's voice to deliver AI-generated insults in "Fortnite." In comparison, the Japan Actors Union's guidelines appear quite moderate and reasonable. Whether these measures to protect actors' rights can be implemented within the Japanese entertainment industry and beyond remains to be seen.