Synthesia to pay actors with shares for digital avatars

Synthesia, a London-based AI startup, plans to pay actors with company shares to create digital avatars. This decision comes as the company aims to use actors' likenesses for its digital projects. The company is valued at about $2.1 billion and has set aside a share pool worth around $1 million to compensate actors. The CEO, Victor Riparbelli, suggests that these actors be treated like employees eligible for shares. This idea follows complaints from actors in the U.S. who say their likenesses were used without permission for digital versions. The issue of AI-generated representations of real actors was also a concern during the 2023 Hollywood strike. If Synthesia succeeds and the value of its shares increases, this payment method could be beneficial for actors. However, Synthesia has faced challenges with the unauthorized use of its digital avatars in the past. The company is taking steps to protect its creations.