US artists' union reaches agreement with major record labels on new AI rules

SAG-AFTRA, the union representing actors and media professionals, has reached a tentative agreement with major record labels including Warner Music Group and Sony Music Entertainment. The agreement covers the period from 2021 to 2026 and includes minimum wage increases and protections against the use of artificial intelligence. Under the agreement, the release of a song that uses a digital replica of an artist's voice will require both the artist's consent and compensation. In addition, the terms "artist," "singer," and "licensed artist" may only be used to refer to individuals. SAG-AFTRA emphasizes that, despite all technology, the essence of music must always be rooted in genuine human expression and experience. The debate has recently gained momentum with the development of high-quality voice cloning and music generators.