New AI Protections and a Merged Pension Plan: Inside SAG-AFTRA’s Four-Year Deal With Studios
SAG-AFTRA’s four-year provisional deal with studios includes AI protections requiring human performers for most roles and bans on synthetic replacements without 'significant additional value,' alongside a merger of its two pension plans by 2028. The agreement also raises minimum wages by 3% annually, introduces stricter rules for AI digital replicas, and expands union recognition for choreographers while addressing health plan costs and confidentiality clauses.
SAG-AFTRA and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) reached a provisional four-year agreement on Monday, introducing landmark AI protections and pension reforms. The deal prioritizes human performers, prohibiting synthetic replacements unless they provide 'significant additional value' to a project. It also establishes rules for AI-generated digital replicas, requiring an 'articulable business reason' for scanning performers and banning their use during strikes or without consent requests. The union’s two pension plans, SAG Pension Plan and AFTRA Retirement Plan, will merge by January 1, 2028, with a 1% increase in contribution rates. Compensation gains include a 3% annual raise in minimum wage rates and a 1% increase in health plan contributions, though healthcare inflation may lead to a one-time premium increase and adjusted eligibility thresholds. The agreement also recognizes SAG-AFTRA as the exclusive bargaining representative for choreographers and mandates the union’s logo appear in end credits. Both sides will review confidentiality agreements and explore industry-wide background checks for intimacy coordinators. If studios expand microdrama production beyond experimental levels, the union may negotiate new terms. The deal now goes to a member ratification vote between May 14 and June 4, marking a major step in addressing AI’s impact on performers while securing financial and labor benefits. National Executive Director Duncan Crabtree-Ireland called it a testament to member unity, covering AI protections, residuals, and broader compensation improvements.
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