TL;DR

Members of UK performing arts union Equity have voted 99% in favour of refusing digital body scanning on set. The indicative ballot, with over 7,000 members polled on 75% turnout, signals strong opposition to AI use of performers’ likenesses without proper consent and protections.

Historic Vote Against AI Exploitation

In what union leaders describe as a “generation-defining challenge,” UK actors have overwhelmingly backed measures to protect their likenesses from AI exploitation. The vote demonstrates the strength of feeling within the industry about unchecked AI adoption in creative work.

Paul Fleming, Equity’s general secretary, stated: “For the first time in a generation, Equity’s film and TV members have shown that they are willing to take industrial action. This shows that the workforce is willing to significantly disrupt production unless they are respected.”

High-Profile Support

The campaign has attracted backing from prominent actors including Adrian Lester, Hugh Bonneville, and Harriet Walter. Bonneville argued that actors’ likenesses and voices should not be “exploited for the benefit of others without licence or consent.”

Olivia Williams, star of Dune, highlighted how performers are routinely pressed to have their bodies scanned without control over how the data is later used. She noted that some contracts include clauses appearing to give studios unlimited rights over performers’ likenesses “throughout the universe in perpetuity.”

What Happens Next

The indicative ballot does not currently provide legal protection for actors who refuse scanning. Equity will now write to Pact, the trade body representing UK producers and production companies, to negotiate new minimum standards for pay and AI-related terms.

A formal ballot may follow, which would give actors legal protection if employers pressure them to accept digital scanning.

Looking Forward

The arrival of AI “actors” like Tilly Norwood has intensified demands for formal agreements on permissible AI use. For UK businesses in creative industries, this vote signals that workforce consent and clear AI governance will be essential for maintaining production relationships.

The decision echoes concerns that drove the 2023 Hollywood writers’ strike, suggesting AI governance in entertainment remains a significant labour relations issue.