UK actors vote to reject digital scans in AI rights push, echoing Hollywood battles

By Sam ‌Tabahriti

LONDON, Dec 18 (Reuters) - British film and television performers have voted ‍overwhelmingly to ‌refuse digital body scans unless they are given stronger protections against artificial ⁠intelligence, the actors' union Equity ‌said on Thursday.

Digital body scans are increasingly used in film and TV for crowd scenes, stunt work, de-aging and virtual performances. They capture detailed facial and body ⁠features to create lifelike so-called digital doubles.

Equity said 99.6% of members backed the move in ​an indicative ballot, with a turnout of 75% ‌among more than 7,700 actors, ⁠stunt performers and dancers covered by agreements with trade body PACT, which represents most UK production companies.

While the vote is not legally binding, ​the union warned it could call a statutory strike ballot if talks fail when they resume in January, threatening disruption to productions that account for about 90% of UK film and TV work.

The vote underscores ​growing ‍global concern over the ​use of AI to replicate performers' likenesses without consent or extra pay.

U.S. actors' union SAG-AFTRA staged a four-month strike in 2023 over similar issues, which was estimated to have cost California more than $6 billion in lost output and forced studios to agree limits on AI use.

"We need adequate AI ⁠protections which build on, not merely replicate, those agreed after the SAG-AFTRA strike in the USA over ​two years ago," Paul Fleming, the union's general secretary, said in a statement.

Equity said it wants protections including explicit consent, transparency and fair remuneration.

"With fresh AI proposals, significant movement on royalties, ‌and a package of modern terms and conditions, PACT and allied producers can turn this around," Fleming added.

(Reporting by Sam Tabahriti; editing by William James)