YouTube has announced a strategic partnership with the Creative Artists Agency (CAA) aimed at enhancing control for talent over the utilisation of artificial intelligence (AI) in their digital representations. This collaboration will primarily focus on developing tools designed to identify and manage AI-generated content that features the likeness of these influential figures, which includes their appearance and likeness rights.
Under this initiative, several prominent figures from the CAA roster—including well-known actors and athletes from leagues such as the National Basketball Association (NBA) and the National Football League (NFL)—will be engaged in the testing of this early-stage technology. This testing phase is slated to begin in early 2024, where feedback from CAA talent will play a crucial role in refining the AI detection systems that YouTube aims to implement.
The new technology not only seeks to surface AI-generated content featuring these talents but will also allow them to easily submit removal requests through YouTube’s privacy complaint process. YouTube posits that insights gathered from CAA’s diverse clientele, will inform the development of a monitoring tool that seeks to protect creators while fostering a responsible approach to AI integration within the platform.
Neal Mohan, CEO of YouTube, remarked on the importance of strong collaborations in the burgeoning AI landscape, stating, “At YouTube, we believe that a responsible approach to AI starts with strong partnerships... This partnership marks a significant step forward in building that future.” He expressed enthusiasm about the opportunity to work collaboratively with CAA to ensure that artists can harness the potential of AI while maintaining authority over their likenesses.
Bryan Lourd, CEO & Co-Chairman of CAA, reflected on the discussions between the two leaderships earlier in the year, highlighting the critical nature of establishing a responsible AI ecosystem. He noted, “At CAA, our AI conversations are centered around ethics and talent rights,” aligning the objectives of both organisations towards fostering a solution beneficial for talent rights management in the digital age.
This partnership marks an important step as it sets a precedent for how platforms may navigate the legal and ethical implications of AI usage in the entertainment sector. With ongoing advancements in AI technology, the implication of such collaborations could prove pivotal in shaping industry standards for digitised content featuring artists and public figures.
Source: Noah Wire Services