Sean Astin can mix into the background when he desires to, however I noticed the 54-year-old actor’s unmistakable smile and twinkling eyes that carried me by way of the Lord of the Rings trilogy inexplicably in the midst of CES 2026 Central Corridor. He was surrounded by what I believed had been followers of his many roles on TV and display screen (LTR, Stranger Issues, Goonies), however, as I approached, I noticed an intense dialogue and guessed it was all about AI.
Astin attended CES in his place as SAG-AFTRA President, together with a contingent of about 20 workers members, to suss out the present state of AI improvement and merchandise and what which may imply for the group’s 160,000 members of actors, broadcasters, dancers, hosts, recording artists, stunt performers, and different artistic professionals.
Why is Sean Astin at CES?
It may appear incongruous for Samwise Gamgee or Drew Barrymore’s loving but clueless brother from 50 First Dates to be appearing as a labor chief and spokesperson for one of many US’s extra beneficial and arguably necessary industries, however Astin additionally has a level in Historical past in American Literature and Tradition, and a Grasp’s in Public Administration and Public Coverage. Having the context of historical past and the understanding of governance absolutely turns out to be useful at this important second, and utilizing these instruments and the expanse of the world’s largest commerce present to make sense of all of it’s form of genius.
“Points surrounding AI are actually necessary to our members. So, ensuring we type of have a command of what we’re speaking about after I got here into CES; I really was form of mission-focused.”
CES is a giant present, however this yr it is virtually as if the 1000’s of corporations are all talking with one voice and saying the identical phrase: AI. But, the implementation of synthetic intelligence is as various as the businesses and folks behind them. How did Astin get a deal with on it, sift by way of the forest to search out the digital bushes? He used AI, in fact.
Astin informed me he used AI to assist him kind by way of the supplies, to organize for the duty, feeding that information into the AI, and he mentioned, with out mentioning the particular AI platform, then speaking with it to judge and perceive the two.5 million sq. toes of conference area.
“What it helped me do was type of refine what my mission was for the 2 or three days that I used to be navigating this area.”
Put one other means, Astin is not afraid to fulfill the enemy by itself turf, particularly when it might assist him accomplish a crucial job.
The mission, although, didn’t go away him a lot time to easily wander and benefit from the cubicles. “I used to be partaking with corporations that do issues like, you recognize, provenance, information, safety, and stuff like that.”
Diving this deep into the beating AI coronary heart of CES was, in a method, to acknowledge its existence.
“There is a second at which, nicely, I see issues all of civilization must be being attentive to it. However my focus as a labor chief is to determine the purpose at which it crosses over as an leisure or as a enterprise…and strikes into our space the place it impacts our members and their identify picture and likeness and their – the issues the place we now have jurisdiction over masking and so forth,” defined Astin.
Bracing and making ready for the approaching AI storm
With fast advances in generative fashions driving the creation of convincing AI voices, photographs, and actors (howdy, Tilly Norwood), it’s been a busy 12 months in AI and leisure, and Astin, who’s solely been SAG-AFTRA President for 4 months, has been monitoring all of it.
“When Disney invests a billion {dollars} into OpenAI or Amazon, 10 billion, or there’s new ranges of performance, a realism in type of open merchandise which might be accessible to the general public…that basically pose an existential menace to our group and even, an unsure menace, we now have to react and perceive and hold transferring,” he mentioned.
You’ll suppose that SAG-AFTRA’s comparatively quick 3-year contract bargaining cycles would align with the tempo of AI improvement, however that’s clearly not the case.
We’ve got to react, perceive, and hold transferring.
Astin talked to me about how they’ve to organize for this second, regardless of how shortly issues have modified because the final bargaining cycle, when his group first addressed the existential menace posed by AI.
“We knew, once we had been reaching sure language in our final settlement, which was foundational, new, novel stuff about totally different guardrails and issues, that…it will be old-fashioned,” he informed me.
SAG-AFTRA and its members now face “a complete new array of challenges and dynamics,” mentioned Astin.
To grasp how one can tackle these challenges and construct into the subsequent contract the mandatory language and protections, Astin needed to journey to CES in Las Vegas to know the AI state of play.
This isn’t only a dialog about film stars
Whereas a lot of the dialog about AI and actors appears to revolve round deep fakes of largely big-named stars, anybody who’s seen up shut how AI impacts an trade is aware of that it’s usually entry-level jobs and fewer high-profile positions which might be in danger.
“Voiceover stuff, I feel, is absolutely imperiled for the time being, and we’re doing all the pieces we can’t simply in bargaining but additionally from a public coverage perspective,” defined Astin.
SAG-AFTRA is engaged on incorporating authorized language that helps defend these artistic employees, however its work on this area might have wider implications.
“Each trade in America goes by way of this, however I feel we’re type of within the forefront, as a result of it is such a visual usurpation of our work.”
The work is difficult, with dozens of conferences, pitches, proposals, and dealing with communities like stunt employees to determine how one can defend their concepts and pictures.
Each trade in America goes by way of this, however I feel we’re type of within the forefront, as a result of it is such a visual usurpation of our work.
One other space of great concern is background actors. AI is definitely adept at creating virtually Non-Participant Characters (NPCs) for content material, and that might imperil background actors’ work and alternatives.
“Inside our contract, there’s guidelines {that a} sure variety of the background actors, for instance, must be employed throughout the union,…So if a digital duplicate is created, and it finally ends up fulfilling what can be 10 of these roles,” 10 human actors nonetheless must be compensated indirectly (just like the contribution to their pension well being plan).
Whereas Astin acknowledges that that is an thrilling frontier area, he additionally informed me that “a wholesome chunk of our membership is anti AI.”
AI made CES inevitable for Astin
These members are demanding that SAG-AFTRA drive leisure corporations to behave in a sure means in terms of AI, however to try this, SAG-AFTRA and extra particularly, Sean Astin, the group’s chief spokesperson, should perceive AI.
“In the end, you recognize, we now have to be – I am right here at CES.. as a result of…the second calls for that I be right here.”
It’s maybe the size of what we’re all navigating on this AI age that’s most astonishing and one thing Astin is clearly grappling with.
“That is an unbelievable second in the midst of human historical past. There have been sure moments, you recognize, the event of the wheel, the Industrial Revolution, and the appearance of sure medical applied sciences, [and] transportation. That is considered one of them. This is among the most impactful timesin all of human historical past.”
I requested Astin if he’s feeling internet constructive about the place issues are heading.
That is an unbelievable second in the midst of human historical past.
For now, he famous that the free-floating concern is about work displacement. “I do not know that I am optimistic or pessimistic about that. “
There are, although, some issues Astin is aware of.
“I feel it is an absolute certainty that the workforce goes to be injured by this development on this expertise.”
Astin additionally believes that the artistic urge is not going to evaporate due to AI.
“The truth that there are folks in my line of labor who wish to act, who wish to make music, who wish to direct motion pictures and tv, who wish to produce them? They don’t seem to be going to cease doing that work as a result of a expertise is right here, and I feel as a result of they’re keen about it, the audiences will all the time be there.”
TechRadar has been extensively masking this yr’s CES, and is bringing you all the huge bulletins as they occur. Head over to our CES 2026 information web page for the most recent tales and our hands-on verdicts on all the pieces from wi-fi TVs and foldable shows to new telephones, laptops, sensible dwelling devices, and the most recent in AI.
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