Overview
- Negotiations began Monday after SAG-AFTRA’s national board unanimously approved its proposal package.
- Both sides agreed to a customary media blackout, with the early phase dedicated to exchanging and reviewing proposals.
- AI leads the agenda, with the union seeking stronger limits on synthetic performers and pay when members’ work trains AI models.
- A studio-side source indicates the 2023 AI guardrails are not expected to be rolled back, though disputes over training compensation and what material can be used are expected.
- Other priorities include streaming residuals, self-taped audition rules and bolstering health benefits, with timelines shaped by a March 6 bargaining window and a June 30 SAG-AFTRA contract expiration as the WGA deal ends May 1.