The Ringer's union has ratified its new contract with Spotify, which includes increased pay, severance, and protections regarding Spotify's use of generative AI. The union fought for consent requirements for cloning voices and using names on AI content. However, the contract also allows Spotify to use AI for translating podcasts into other languages. The agreement aims to prevent job loss and loss of control over public image due to advancements in generative audio AI.
The Ringer ’s union ratified its new contract with Spotify today, a week after agreeing on a deal and two weeks after the previous contract expired. In addition to increased pay and severance, the union fought hard for protections regarding Spotify ’s use of generative AI. They pushed Spotify to require consent for cloning their voices or putting their names on AI content.
But the union also gave Spotify one thing it really wants: the ability to use AI to translate The Ringer’s podcasts into other languages. The union posted the new AI language on X, showing that Spotify must obtain consent from union employees in order to clone their voices. That is very obviously in the interest of those employees who do not want to be replaced by robot versions of themselves. As generative audio AI improves, it is likely there will be a point where a host’s voice is indistinguishable from its AI clone. That not only could result in job loss, but loss of control over your public image. The contract, for a time, keeps those scenarios at bay. The big caveat is with AI-enabled translations
The Ringer Union Contract Spotify AI Generative AI Consent Cloning Voices AI Content Translations Job Loss Public Image