Creative Artists Agency (CAA), a leading talent agency in the entertainment and sports sectors, aims to pioneer AI protection services for celebrities in Hollywood. In response to the unauthorized use of digital likenesses, CAA has developed a virtual media storage system designed for A-list talent—including actors, athletes, comedians, directors, and musicians—to securely store their digital assets, such as names, images, voice recordings, and more. This initiative is part of "theCAAvault," where actors can utilize advanced scanning technology to record their bodies, voices, and movements, creating their digital clones.
To enhance its digital asset management solutions, CAA has partnered with AI technology company Veritone, as announced earlier this week. This collaboration comes amid rising concerns over AI-generated deepfakes of celebrities, which are often produced without their consent. Notably, actor Tom Hanks, a CAA client, fell victim to an AI scam last year when a company used an AI-generated video to market a dental plan without his permission.
"Over the past few years, we’ve seen significant misuse of our clients’ names, images, likenesses, and voices, often without consent, credit, or appropriate compensation. It’s evident that current laws aren’t equipped to protect them, leading to numerous open lawsuits," said Alexandra Shannon, CAA’s head of strategic development.
Creating digital clones requires extensive personal data, raising privacy concerns about potential mishandling of sensitive information. However, with theCAAvault, CAA clients can store their AI digital doubles and other assets in a secure hub, accessible only to authorized users. This setup allows talent to share and monetize their content at their discretion.
“This approach allows us to set precedents for consent-based AI usage,” Shannon explained. “As the legal landscape takes time to adapt, talent can create and maintain ownership of their digital likenesses through [theCAAvault]. This enables a legitimate framework for collaboration with companies, making it easier to prove infringement if third parties fail to comply.”
The vault also ensures that actors receive fair compensation when their digital likenesses are utilized. “All assets belong to the individual client, giving them control over who to grant access to... Clients determine their business model for opportunities. This emerging space is evolving, and we believe these assets will gain value and potential over time. We do not see AI clones as a lower-cost alternative; rather, we consider them enhancements,” Shannon added.
CAA represents a roster of high-profile clients, including Ariana Grande, Beyoncé, Reese Witherspoon, Steven Spielberg, and Zendaya. The introduction of AI cloning has prompted discussions across Hollywood, with some worrying it might reduce job opportunities as studios potentially favor digital clones over real actors. This issue was a central concern during the 2023 SAG-AFTRA strikes, which concluded in November with a new agreement that acknowledged the significance of human performers and established guidelines for the use of "digital replicas."
Concerns also arise regarding the unauthorized use of AI clones of deceased celebrities, which can cause distress to their families. For instance, Robin Williams’ daughter criticized an AI-generated voice recording of her father. Conversely, some argue that ethical use of AI can honor legacies, allowing iconic actors to be preserved and their performances recreated for future audiences.
"AI clones can effectively keep legacies alive for generations. CAA prioritizes a permission-based approach to all AI applications, ensuring we only collaborate with estates that own the rights to these likenesses. Ultimately, it’s up to the artists to decide who can use their likeness after they pass,” Shannon clarified.
Shannon did not disclose which CAA clients are currently using the vault for their AI clones, mentioning only a select few are involved at this time. Although a fee is charged for participation in the vault, CAA did not disclose the exact cost. “Our aim is to make this technology available to all our clients and those within the industry. While it is not inexpensive now, we anticipate costs will decrease over time,” she added.
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