Talent agency WME on Tuesday announced a partnership with technology company Vermilion, hoping to ensure that its clients' likenesses are not misused through artificial intelligence technology.
Vermillio created Trace ID, a platform that can protect WME clients from image and intellectual property theft by tracking images using AI technology. The partnership will also explore ways to use this technology to help clients monetize their own likenesses and images.
The use of AI and how to protect these assets was a key issue in last year's actors' strike. Even after the agreement with the actors union SAG-AFTRA was approved, some performers remained dissatisfied with AI protections. For example, the deal does not prohibit studios from displaying “synthetic fakes” on screen. Synthetic fakes can be created by fusing recognizable features of real actors to create a character through AI.
AI-generated images are also proliferating online, like the sexually explicit fake images of Taylor Swift that surfaced online last week.
WME said its primary concern is to protect its customers.
“We have been working on this issue to ensure our clients have safeguards in place to at least begin to address what is clearly a widespread problem,” said Chris Jacmin, head of digital strategy at WME. Stated.
Deepfakes involving famous actors and entertainers have been a problem for years. But the relatively recent arrival of more sophisticated AI has made the problem even worse. This month, a fake ad for cookware maker Le Creuset appeared on Facebook. The article featured a person purporting to be Ms. Swift offering free cooking utensils in exchange for users' personal information. Neither Ms. Swift nor Le Creuset were involved in the promotion.
“There's no real ability to stop it other than manually finding it by accident,” Jacmin said of this type of fraud. “Vermillio starts automating that process.”
WME customers will now provide their identifying digital data to Vermillio, which will be recorded and secured on the blockchain. Vermillio said this will allow the company to track and authenticate images of customers that appear online. These images may be removed or the client may decide to ask for payment. Vermilio will receive a portion of the proceeds.
WME and Vermiglio said the partnership could also help compensate performers, for example, if a studio wants to use AI to translate content into another language using someone's voice.
“This authenticity allows talent to protect and empower themselves while providing fans with the fresh entertainment experiences they want,” said Dan Neely, the entrepreneur who founded Vermillio. says.
