Argentine actor Ricardo Darín is leading a campaign to regulate the use of artificial intelligence in artistic productions within Argentina [1].
This movement represents a critical effort to establish legal protections for performers as generative AI begins to challenge traditional acting roles. The campaign seeks to prevent the unauthorized replacement of human artists with digital simulations, and to ensure transparency for the viewing public.
Working with the Asociación Argentina de Actores y Actrices, Darín is demanding that the government adopt regulations requiring the clear labeling of AI-generated actors [1]. The campaign also seeks to prohibit the use of AI on performers without their explicit consent [2].
Darín made a public demand for these regulations on May 20, 2026 [3]. He said that the industry must protect the rights of performers to prevent misrepresentation and the unconsented use of their likenesses [1].
"Es fundamental que la IA no se use sin consentimiento de los actores," Darín said in a statement to La Nación [3].
Further discussions regarding the scope and sense of these regulations continued through May 24, 2026 [4]. The campaign has been presented nationally, with Darín appearing at events in Buenos Aires to highlight the risks posed by unregulated technology [5].
Transparency for the audience is another primary goal of the initiative. Darín said that viewers have a right to know whether the person they see on screen is a human being or a digital construct.
"Tenés derecho a saber si un actor es real o no," Darín said [2].
“"Es fundamental que la IA no se use sin consentimiento de los actores."”
This campaign reflects a growing global tension between the entertainment industry and the rapid adoption of generative AI. By focusing on consent and labeling, Darín and the Argentine Actors Association are attempting to create a legal framework that treats a performer's digital likeness as a protected asset. If successful, this could set a precedent for how other Latin American nations handle the intersection of labor rights and emerging technology in the arts.
