UK Actors Push for AI Protections as Equity and PACT Reach Negotiation Breakthrough

UK performers secured a breakthrough in AI protection negotiations on January 20, 2026, when PACT (the Producers Alliance for Cinema and Television) delivered an improved offer to Equity after months of dispute. The progress came just one day after a union imposed deadline and followed an overwhelming December 2025 ballot in which 99% of over 7,000 Equity members voted they were prepared to refuse digital scanning on set.

The negotiations mark the first time AI protections have been formally negotiated in UK film and television contracts. Both sides agreed to enter further negotiations in good faith, but Equity General Secretary Paul W. Fleming made clear the fight isn't over. "It doesn't cover everything we've asked for, and the coming weeks will be instrumental in securing the protections performers need in the age of AI and scanning on set."

The Timeline: How UK Performers Forced Action

The current dispute has been building for months as AI capabilities in film production expanded rapidly. In December 2025, Equity held an indicative ballot asking over 7,000 performers working in UK film and television a direct question. Would they be willing to refuse digital scanning on set to secure stronger AI protections?

The result was decisive. With a turnout of 75%, an overwhelming 99% voted YES. This gave Equity's negotiating team a powerful mandate heading into talks with PACT, which represents producers covering the vast majority of UK film and TV work.

Equity set a deadline of Monday, January 19, 2026, for PACT to deliver an improved offer on AI protections. The union had been clear about consequences. Without meaningful progress, members would move to refuse scanning on upcoming productions, a form of industrial action that could disrupt shoots across the UK.

PACT met the deadline late on January 19, sending over new wording with improvements on AI protections that had been in dispute. The following day, Tuesday, January 20, both sides met to discuss the revised offer. While neither party disclosed specific terms, the meeting resulted in an agreement to continue negotiations across multiple issues including AI protections, royalties and residuals, pay, self tapes, and fairer contracts.

What's at Stake: Understanding Digital Scanning

Digital scanning is not new to film production. For years, visual effects teams have captured actors' likenesses to create digital doubles for stunts, effects that make actors appear younger, or scenes requiring extensive CGI. The process typically involves photographing or scanning an actor from multiple angles to create a detailed 3D model.

What changed is how that data can now be used. Generative AI systems can take scanned likenesses, voices, and biometric data to create entirely new performances without the actor being present. An actor scanned for a single day of VFX work could potentially have their likeness used to generate scenes, dialogue, or even entire performances they never consented to or were compensated for.

Fleming articulated the core concern in previous statements. "It is a basic right of performers to have autonomy over their own personhood and identity." The union argues that scanning, when combined with AI capabilities, transforms what was once a limited technical tool into something that could fundamentally alter how performers work and are compensated.

PACT's position, documented in trade publications, has emphasized that scanning is an established practice necessary for modern filmmaking. Producers argue they already adhere to data protection laws and that some of Equity's demands represent future protections that extend beyond established safeguards.

The Improved Offer: Progress and Limitations

Fleming's statement on January 21 carefully balanced acknowledgment of progress with a clear message that negotiations are far from complete. "Equity members should be in no doubt that it is their support and determination to secure AI protections which led to this improved offer. Last month's ballot result showed that an overwhelming majority of performers are prepared to refuse scanning on set, and that focused the minds of producers."

The union has not disclosed specific terms of the improved offer, maintaining negotiating leverage as talks continue. However, Fleming's public comments indicate the offer addresses some, but not all, of Equity's concerns about AI protections.

The scope of ongoing negotiations extends beyond just AI. The talks now encompass a broader package including royalties and residuals, base pay rates, self tape audition standards, and general contract fairness. This suggests both sides see an opportunity to address multiple longstanding issues in a comprehensive agreement rather than isolated AI protections.

The threat of escalation remains real. Fleming stated clearly that if the current offer proves insufficient and PACT refuses to provide needed protections, "we are prepared to move to a statutory ballot of members with the intention to undertake industrial action on upcoming productions." A statutory ballot would be the formal legal step required before an actual strike, as opposed to the December indicative ballot which measured member sentiment.

UK Performers in the Global AI Battle

The negotiations between Equity and PACT are playing out against a backdrop of global labor disputes over AI in entertainment. In 2023, SAG-AFTRA's 118 day strike in the United States centered heavily on AI protections alongside streaming residuals. The eventual agreement included provisions on digital replica usage, consent requirements, and compensation for performances created using AI.

UK performers watched those negotiations closely. The SAG-AFTRA deal established a framework, but US and UK labor law, industry structure, and existing contracts differ significantly. Equity cannot simply import the American agreement. The union must negotiate protections that work within the UK legal framework and the specific structure of the agreement with PACT.

That agreement underpins working conditions for the vast majority of UK film and TV performers, including actors, stunt artists, singers, and dancers. It sets minimum pay rates, working conditions, and now, potentially, the first formal AI protections in UK entertainment contracts. The precedent being set will likely influence negotiations in other UK creative sectors facing similar AI challenges.

The timing is significant. AI capabilities in film production are advancing rapidly. Tools for voice cloning, face replacement, and performance synthesis that seemed experimental two years ago are now commercially available. Industry observers note that delaying these protections would only make the situation more complex as AI becomes more deeply embedded in production workflows.

Producer Perspective: Balancing Innovation and Rights

PACT's position throughout negotiations reflects the tension producers face between technological innovation and worker protections. The organization represents companies ranging from small independent producers to major studios operating in the UK. Their concerns include maintaining production flexibility, avoiding overly restrictive language that could hinder legitimate VFX work, and ensuring UK productions remain competitive internationally.

Industry sources familiar with producer concerns, though speaking anonymously due to ongoing negotiations, note several practical challenges. Modern filmmaking increasingly relies on digital tools. A scene might require scanning an actor for safety reasons during a stunt, for costume fitting in virtual production, or for archive purposes if reshoots become necessary. Producers argue they need clear, workable language that protects performers without making standard production practices legally risky.

The question of compensation particularly complicates negotiations. If an actor is scanned for a specific VFX sequence but that scan enables the production to avoid a reshoot months later, does that require additional payment? What about archival scans that might never be used? These practical questions don't have easy answers, and the agreement must address them clearly enough that both performers and producers understand their rights and obligations.

PACT meeting the January 19 deadline with improved wording suggests producers recognize the strength of Equity's position. A 99% YES vote is extraordinary in labor organizing. Work disruptions on UK productions would be costly, both financially and reputationally. The good faith negotiations indicate both sides prefer reaching an agreement over escalating to industrial action.

What Happens Next

The current negotiation phase has no publicly announced end date. Both Equity and PACT have committed to good faith discussions, suggesting a willingness to continue working toward agreement rather than forcing a crisis. However, the union retains the option to call a statutory ballot if negotiations stall or the final offer proves inadequate.

Fleming's public statements suggest Equity is approaching these talks with clear eyes. The union secured an improved offer through member solidarity and the credible threat of action. Maintaining that pressure while negotiating details will be essential to securing protections that actually work in practice, not just on paper.

For UK performers, the coming weeks will determine whether their industry establishes meaningful AI protections or whether the rapid advancement of technology outpaces labor safeguards. The 99% ballot result shows they're willing to fight for those protections. Whether producers will meet them with an agreement that respects performer autonomy over their own likeness and identity remains to be seen.

The negotiations are being watched closely across the entertainment industry. Other unions, in the UK and internationally, are grappling with similar AI challenges. The framework that emerges from these talks could provide a model, or serve as a cautionary tale. Either way, the precedent being set matters far beyond the immediate parties at the negotiating table.

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Official Sources

Equity (UK Performers' Union): Equity welcomes improved offer in AI protection negotiations in film and TV (January 21, 2026)

Sky News: Actors' union offered better deal over AI protections (January 21, 2026)

Wiggin LLP: AI in Film and TV: Equity warns of industrial action (January 19, 2026)

C21 Media: Equity gives update on AI dispute with Pact as potential actors strike looms (January 8, 2026)

Equity: Indicative ballot for AI protections (December 2025)