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What does “AI actor” mean?
“AI actor” is not a precise production or contractual category. It can refer to a wholly synthetic performer, a digital replica that resembles or derives from a real performer, a synthetic voice, or an AI-assisted workflow involving a human performance. Those cases raise different creative and rights questions.
Synthetic performer
SAG-AFTRA’s April 2024 bulletin defines a synthetic performer as wholly synthetic and not based on an actual performer. Under that definition, a character voiced by a live performer is not a synthetic performer. If the synthetic figure resembles an actual performer, the bulletin treats it as a digital replica instead. Read SAG-AFTRA’s April 2024 contract bulletin.
Digital replica
A digital replica is a digitally created character or performance that resembles or derives from an actual performer. Its use is distinct from using a wholly synthetic performer, and the applicable replica terms—not the synthetic-performer category—are the relevant starting point.
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CGI/VFX character
CGI or visual-effects character is a broad production term for a digitally created or altered character. It does not automatically mean generative AI was used, and CGI workflows can include a live performer’s acting, voice, or motion. The sources cited here do not establish a technical taxonomy of CGI pipelines, so the useful comparison is what the production actually uses, not the label alone.
Are AI actors cheaper than CGI characters?
No general cost ranking is established by the available evidence. The union sources cited here do not publish comparable project budgets or a cost study showing that synthetic performers are cheaper—or that CGI characters cost less. A single production’s estimate may change substantially depending on whether it needs a speaking lead, a background figure, a stylized nonhuman character, a replica of a specific performer, or only a limited visual effect.
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For a meaningful comparison, ask each production team or vendor to price the same defined result and identify what the estimate includes. At minimum, compare:
- Character creation and the work needed to establish the look and performance.
- Performance capture or generation, voice creation or recording, and any human performance still required.
- Compositing, rendering, and integration into the finished shot.
- Direction, revisions, consistency across scenes, and the number or scope of iterations included.
- Permissions, compensation, notice, bargaining, and other applicable labor terms.
- Rights for reuse, including the media, duration, and later uses covered by any permission.
These are cost-comparison factors, not published findings that one approach is cheaper. A quote that excludes rights, revisions, or remaining human work is not directly comparable to one that includes them.
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Which approach gives more creative control?
Neither label guarantees greater control. Compare specific decisions and who has authority over them:
- Performance direction: Who can direct the character’s timing, expression, movement, and delivery?
- Revision: How can the performance be changed, and can it be kept consistent across shots or scenes?
- Performance source: Does the work depend on a live actor’s voice, likeness, or recorded performance, or is the performer wholly synthetic?
- Authorization: Who can approve the likeness, voice, performance, and any changes to their use?
- Reuse: What later uses are permitted, and do they require further consent or compensation?
These questions expose the actual trade-off: a workflow may offer a particular kind of creative flexibility while still depending on a person’s performance or likeness and the permissions attached to it. The cited union sources establish some contract-specific limits, but do not prove a universal artistic advantage for AI performers or CGI.
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What SAG-AFTRA’s rules say—and what they cover
Contract terms depend on the covered medium and agreement. The rules below describe SAG-AFTRA materials for particular TV/Theatrical agreements; they are not a universal statement about every production, employer, or jurisdiction.
Synthetic performers under the 2026 TV/Theatrical Agreement
SAG-AFTRA’s FAQ about its 2026 TV/Theatrical Agreement, published May 14 and updated May 15, 2026, says producers may not use synthetics without first bargaining with the union. The FAQ describes a principle strongly favoring human performance and says producers do not intend to use a synthetic in a human role otherwise performed by a human unless the synthetic brings “significant additional value.” It also says digital replication may count as human performance for that comparison. These statements are scoped to that agreement. See SAG-AFTRA’s FAQ on synthetics under the 2026 TV/Theatrical Agreement.
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Digital replicas under the 2023 TV/Theatrical contracts
SAG-AFTRA’s resource explaining the 2023 TV/Theatrical contracts describes requirements for covered digital-replica uses: a reasonably specific description, clear and separate consent, and generally consent for each use, subject to limited exceptions. It says a change in use requires consent for the changed use. These are the union’s explanations of particular contracts; whether they apply depends on the production and agreement. Read SAG-AFTRA’s 2023 TV/Theatrical AI resource.
In a March 17, 2023 statement, SAG-AFTRA said, “The terms and conditions involving rights to digitally simulate a performer to create new performances must be bargained with the union.” The statement also discusses limits on reusing recorded performances under collectively bargained provisions, including consent and compensation negotiation. Read the union’s statement on AI and digital doubles.
How to choose an approach for a project
- Define the result. Specify the character’s role, look, dialogue, performance needs, shots, and intended audience. Avoid comparing a fully realized speaking character with a limited background effect.
- Identify the performance source. Decide whether the work uses a live performer, a performer’s replica, a wholly synthetic performer, or a combination. Identify any voice, likeness, or recorded-performance dependencies.
- Compare like-for-like estimates. Ask for the same deliverables, revision scope, schedule assumptions, and post-production work in each estimate. Separate production costs from permissions and covered labor terms.
- Map control and reuse. Establish who can direct and revise the performance, who authorizes it, and whether later use is included or needs further approval.
- Confirm applicable terms. Check which agreement and jurisdiction apply before relying on a general description of union requirements. For a specific production, seek qualified labor or legal guidance rather than treating this article as legal advice.
SAG-AFTRA’s AI resource timeline records ratification of a new TV/Theatrical Agreement in June 2026 and an Interactive Media Agreement in July 2025. Agreement and medium therefore matter when checking which terms apply. See SAG-AFTRA’s AI resource timeline.
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