Creative Artists Agency (CAA) is urging Meta to change its default opt-out policy for the new Muse AI image and video tools, arguing that creators should control how their likeness is used for AI-generated content. The move comes after the company launched Muse Photo and Muse Video, automatically including public Instagram profiles unless users actively opt out-a stance that raises serious concerns for celebrities and public figures whose image is central to their careers.
Meta, led by CEO Mark Zuckerberg, introduced the tools from its Superintelligence Labs, enabling others to generate AI content using public profiles. The default setting means anyone can create images or videos featuring a person's likeness unless that person takes action to prevent it.
CAA responded in a statement Wednesday: "No one's name, image, likeness, voice, or creative work should be used by any third party, including AI models, without clear, documented consent. True innovation puts creators first: respecting their rights, protecting their livelihoods, and giving them real control, not handing it over to platforms."
CAA seeks stronger safeguards for creators
The agency added: "We have raised our concerns with Meta on behalf of our clients, voicing our disapproval and perspective on the need for a more responsible approach. We call on Meta to make protection the default on Muse Image, not the exception, and enable individuals to opt-in if they want to allow usage of their image or likeness for AI content creation."
CAA has long invested in tools to protect its clients. The agency maintains the "CAA Vault," a digital storehouse of client likenesses for future protection and monetization. It was also the first agency to test YouTube's deepfake detection tool before its wider Hollywood rollout.
Sora's rollout offers a familiar warning
The debate echoes the launch of OpenAI's Sora, where the video generation model was quickly flooded with content featuring well-known IP and the likenesses of prominent figures. The publication reported that OpenAI later moved to an opt-in model before discontinuing the video model this year. Talent agency WME opted all of its clients out of Sora at the time, with digital chief Chris Jacquemin saying: "There is a strong need for real protections for artists and creatives as they encounter AI models using their intellectual property, as well as their name, image and likeness."
The emergence of generative art tools like Muse and Sora shows how quickly platforms can release AI generation without guardrails that protect creators. OpenAI reportedly ended a $1 billion agreement with Disney that would have allowed the entertainment company's IP on the platform, highlighting the commercial stakes involved.
Why this matters for creatives
For any creative professional, the default opt-out model shifts the burden onto the individual to protect their own likeness. CAA's push for an opt-in framework underscores a critical point: platforms should not assume consent. Creatives must stay vigilant, understand each tool's default settings, and consider preemptively opting out of platforms that treat their image as a public resource by default. The CAA Vault and WME's immediate opt-out of Sora serve as models for proactive protection. As AI for Creatives continues to evolve, the fight over consent and compensation will define whether these tools become instruments of exploitation or empowerment.
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