Berenice Bejo, the Oscar-nominated of “The Artist,” Swan Arlaud (“Anatomy of a Fall”) and Lea Drucker (“Case 137”) are among the 4,000 French actors who have signed a vitriolic open letter denouncing what they describe as as an “organized plundering” of AI tools and are calling for urgent political action.
Backed by Adami, the collective management organization for performers’ rights, the petition states that the industry has already been struggling with unauthorized voice cloning, image scraping and undervalued AI licensing deals for some time.
“This tool, extraordinarily valuable for certain professions, is also a devouring hydra for the artists that we are,” says the letter. The signatories also pointing out that this “systematic plundering is not a fantasy — it is happening here and now;” citing a recent anecdote of an actor who was recently offered just €250 to authorize the use of his image by AI for a new advertising campaign for a major French company, replacing two full days of filming.
Unauthorized voice cloning is also becoming increasingly widespread and has already prompted some to take legal action. Earlier this month, eight French dubbers of Hollywood stars, including Julia Roberts and Richard Gere, as well as animated characters such as Buzz Lightyear, issued a formal notice to a pair of AI companies, VoiceDub and Fish Audio, to demand that they remove all cloning models exploiting their voices from their platforms within eight days, claiming €20,000 in damages.
The letter (unveiled by French newspaper Le Parisien today) emphasizes that many lesser-established actors, often lacking leverage, feel pressured to sign contracts granting AI rights, “despite the risks to their image and their future.” As such, French actors demand “guarantees that no artist will be forced to give up their digital identity.”
The actors’ lobbying push comes as the European Union is in the process of rolling out its landmark AI Act, which sets transparency requirements on generative AI systems.
The legislation, however, does not yet create a clear regime specifically addressing performers’ likenesses, biometric data or voice cloning. As such, French performers are urging French lawmakers to adopt stronger national measures so that “AI can coexist with the work of artists and respect for copyright and related rights.”
Here’s the full open letter:
On February 26, the Olympia will host the 51st César Awards ceremony. This unmissable event will be an opportunity to celebrate a rich artistic year and laugh at the witty remarks of Benjamin Lavernhe, master of ceremonies for this edition.
But there is one subject that we, as actors and actresses, do not want to joke about. With our minds turned to the future of cinema, we are facing a profound change in our profession since the arrival of Artificial Intelligence. This tool, which is extraordinarily valuable for certain professions, is also a devouring hydra for artists like us.
Not a week goes by without an artist warning about the brutal competition that AI poses to their work. Just recently, an actor was offered a contract to use his image by AI for the creation of a new commercial for a major French group, simply replacing two days of filming. A Faustian pact… paid 250 euros! The cloning of actors’ voices without their permission is becoming commonplace. Complaints have been filed again recently. The work of an actor or actress is then reduced to their personal attributes alone: a voice, a face.
This systematic plundering is not a fantasy, it is happening here and now. It is unbearable, and it is happening right before our eyes. And sometimes it is hundreds of less established artists, who often cannot afford to turn down a contract, who give up their rights to AI, despite the risks to their image and their future. Beyond employment, it is the nature of the creation we want that is at stake.
If the public and professionals are concerned and unanimous, the only possible response today lies with politicians. There is an urgent need to create a legal framework so that AI can coexist with the work of artists and respect for copyright and related rights. Recent legislative initiatives show that parliamentarians are becoming aware of the issue. We call on the entire political class to quickly address the issue of respecting artists’ rights in the face of this unregulated innovation.
French cinema has always been able to embrace technological revolutions to fuel creativity while respecting the role of the artist.
We, as actors and actresses, are now urgently calling for ambitious regulations that will enable France to embrace this digital shift without sacrificing either its cultural heritage or the performers who embody it.
