Opera & AI: Don't Let Them Steal You

If you are in the world of performing arts, I cannot beg you enough to read this through.

As we are still in the midst of SAG-AFTRA and WGA strikes, there is rumbling among opera professionals as to whether or not these issues pertain to our industry. We are exceptionally unique in the performing arts realm for a number of reasons- mostly lack of standardized pay, representation, and unionization (though shout-out to AGMA for trying to flip the script on that!). But so far it seems like the discussion of advancing technology only applies to screen, right? How much of a threat can that actually be to our live stage performances? Well, I'm gonna cut the BS and fearmongering and give you my honest-to-god whole nuanced opinion like I always do. And in this case, I say:

You should be worried about AI.

Like, really worried.

I'm not only going to lay out why, but I'm gonna give my advice on how to protect yourself from this looming threat to our already fragile job security.

First, let's get the argument out of the way that our industry has the artists' best interests in mind or cares about us in any way. Remember 2020? Force Majeure? The thing they all said "would never happen to us" until it did? There are countless other scenarios that clearly demonstrate that we aren't exactly in the most morally upstanding industry.

Now, the how, for the "surely live performance is untouchable!" crowd:

Imagine you're at a young artist program in 2024. You do a cover run as Giovanni in Don Giovanni. The YAP records a professional video of your cover run, no big deal. Hey, maybe they give you some footage for your website! That's pretty nice of them, they never release it to the public, but they keep it in the archives.

Fast forward 20 years. You made it, have starred all around the world, lived the dream, everyone knows your name, and you're slating yourself for retirement from performing because you want to settle down. When all of a sudden you get a notification that says:

"Join us for the Met in AI's 2044 season! Starring [you] in a never-before-seen, star-studded production of Don Giovanni"

This is the first you've heard of this. You haven't been in a production of Giovanni in ages. No one asked your permission, you're certainly not getting paid. You find out that your YAP company sold the video of you from 20 years ago to the Met for a hefty sum that you saw zero cents from, which you also know is certainly not your best work. And they're not just streaming this to theatres (or by this point, an app), but they also have the technology for a 3D VR experience and, by way of using projection mapping technology, they can actually put you on a stage with the rest of these stars, a full chorus, and set ALL digitized in front of a live audience.

You look more into the "Met in AI" and realize they're also about to roll out a program where anyone at any time can plug your name into any production and auto-generate it on the spot, even if you've never been in it. They bought the rights to all of your production audio for future production use, even post-mortem. You want to put on your own virtual production using the same technology with the name, image, and likeness from previous performances? Nope, can't do that. Surprise, you don't own your own voice!

It's giving Black Mirror, isn't it?

Well, I've got news for you my friend. You don't have to worry about this beginning in 20 years! Because it's already starting!

(check out this article for some of how AI is being used currently)

With overall downward trends of ticket sales and even top-dog companies doing everything they can to slash production costs, this high level of AI integration is a clear step forward to keep CEO's pockets lined without having to address the systemic issues that are currently in place keeping opera not profitable. It would be much more lucrative for them to eliminate most of their talent, auditions, techs, etc. and replace them with much fewer SFX staff members, than to drop the financial barriers of access to this artform and sacrifice 1-2% of their salaries. Ethics-shmethics, they've got summer homes to think about!

Also keep in mind that the thing barring many other types of performing arts from doing this is intellectual property rights. We are very often working with pieces in public domain, so there are far less obstacles in the way of full AI-integrated productions in opera.

Before you start thinking I'm anti-tech, I will add that there's no denying the potential gain artistically of incorporating technology. This type of tech just happens to be a new frontier that we ought to navigate carefully in order to maintain some semblance of morality.

Now here's what I propose artists do as we move forward:

1. NIL deals: Let's take a page out of the NCAA and pro sports. We should already be getting compensated for marketing materials. I believe all performers should have name, image, and likeness deals. These companies would have zero profit if it weren't for you, and it's time you started acting like it. I would make it a point to specify that NIL does not cover AI-generated content.
   

2. Non-AI Clause: Both represented and non-represented singers need to start adding addendums to contracts specifying that use of faces and voices for the purpose of generating content like this is strictly prohibited unless a separate written agreement is reached with strictly defined guidelines and financial compensation. In conjunction with an NIL clause, you could state that using this footage for AI-generated content violates said NIL deal. I would highly recommend doing both of these things.
   

3. Intellectual Property Rights & Plagiarism: This one's for the artistic staff out there! Whether you're directing, designing, costuming, or any other technical specialization that shows up on stage, you deserve to get compensated if your work gets literally copied and pasted. This is definitely a grey area (as much of this is with new technological advancements) but I would find a way to specify within your contracts what does and doesn't pertain to AI-generated content. For example, when a director might specify that they own the direction of a show, I would in plain language state that this also means digital reproductions of the show or elements of the show that may be used for virtual hybrid productions also require approval and financial compensation.
   

I imagine the biggest point of trepidation with this is fear. Adding clauses and specific language to your contracts, especially as young professionals, can come with the fear of appearing intimidating or off-putting. The fear of being blacklisted permeates the anxiety of budding singers all the time. But if a Kremlin-loving blackface barbie still has a career on stage, taking measures to CYA shouldn't ruin yours.

This is the direction the industry is heading in whether we like it or not. Without standardized organization, the only strength we have is in numbers. Protecting artists will only become the new normal if we normalize it in the first place. So get a colleague or two to join you, put some boundaries in place, and stand in solidarity with your fellow artists.