Posted in: Movies, streaming, TV | Tagged: ai, artificial intelligence, SAG-AFTRA
SAG-AFTRA Called Out for Using AI Image to Promote Tech Summit
SAG-AFTRA is being called out for reportedly using an AI image to promote a summit on "why tech is a human and workers rights issue."
During the weeks leading up to what would end up being a vote to ratify the tentative agreement that the union had reached with the AMPTP, SAG-AFTRA President Fran Drescher, Chief Negotiator Duncan Crabtree-Ireland, and other members of the negotiating team found themselves defending what the union had gained in terms of issues pertaining to AI, body imaging & consent, and more. In addition, they also found themselves pushing back against members like Justine Bateman and Matthew Modine, who went on the record as not supporting the new contract over those very issues. So when SAG-AFTRA ended up using an AI image to promote its upcoming "Labor Innovation & Technology Summit," you can imagine that some folks would sit up & take notice – like artists who've been making the very case that AI will take jobs away from real artists.
Artist Karla Ortiz (Black Panther, Avengers: Endgame, Avengers: Infinity War) took to social media (and offering updates) to note the issue, and how the move takes a job away from both an artist and a union model. In Deadline Hollywood's reporting, an "insider" claimed that the image was an Adobe stock image created by human artists using AI tools – not AI-generated – and that it was selected by designers and an art director.
It was after 8 pm ET on Tuesday, December 5th, when the results came in that a new three-year deal had been officially ratified. With 38.15% membership turnout, the agreement was ratified – 78.33% voting in favor of the contract and 21.67% voting against. The new agreement went into immediate effect, retroactive to June 9, 2023 and extending through June 30, 2026. For a full rundown of what was gained in the deal, a full summary of the contract was posted online.