Japan Actors Union announces guidelines addressing unauthorised use of generative AI to replicate voice performances
The Japan Actors Union has established new guidelines addressing the unauthorized use of generative AI to replicate voice performances. The framework emphasizes that technological advancement must be balanced with respect for human expression and performer rights.
Under the guidelines, organizations seeking to use generative AI to replicate an actor’s voice must obtain prior consent at every stage of the process, starting before training AI models on the actor’s existing performances. This requirement aims to prevent actors’ voices from being used without knowledge or approval.
When generative AI successfully replicates a performance, the union’s framework mandates treating the AI-generated output as a new performance entity. This classification ensures that actors receive additional royalties or compensation beyond their original performance, protecting their financial interests when their voices are reproduced synthetically.
The union’s position reflects broader industry concerns about protecting performer rights in an era of rapid AI advancement. The guidelines acknowledge that technological progress is inevitable while asserting that “living, breathing human expression” and respect for performer rights must remain central to how AI tools are developed and deployed.
The framework also addresses the use of deceased actors’ voices, establishing guidelines for those cases where AI might be used to generate performances using the voices of performers who have passed away. This provision indicates the union’s comprehensive approach to protecting both current and legacy performer rights across different scenarios.