According to Deadline, the beloved kids’ show Peppa Pig is stirring up controversy. Hasbro is reportedly stipulating that child actors sign over the rights to their vocal likenesses for AI. Industry insiders have stated that AI contract clauses are not uncommon in children’s television, but Hasbro has escalated fervor in contract negotiations on Peppa Pig.
An open letter from the Agents of Young Performers Association condemning Hasbro’s adoption of AI terms has garnered almost 1,000 signatures. The letter did not specifically mention Peppa Pig, but Deadline has reported that industry sources indicated that it refers to the series.
The letter did not specify any problematic contractual language, but the clause could give Hasbro the right to create AI copies of the child’s voice. The copy could then be used in Peppa Pig commercial assets.
The open letter states that the AI clauses are often presented as mandatory. Agents representing child actors often come to the APYA for counsel on the language, but decline to mention the specific show.
Artificial intelligence was one of the major sticking points in the 2023 SAG-AFTRA strike. According to mxdwn, the 2023 negotiations placed important “guardrails” on artificial intelligence. Deadline has reported the union’s main focus in regulating AI is “consent and compensation”. The 2025 SAG-AFTRA commercial contract required agencies and advertisers to obtain SAG-AFTRA permission before allowing third parties to utilize an actor’s likeness to train AI models. Lead negotiator Duncan Crabtree said, “We would have liked to have had that in the TV/Theatrical agreement. We weren’t able to achieve that despite being on strike for over four months.”
As with any contract involving a minor, it is signed by their legal guardian. “Where the performer is a child, consent must be treated with the greatest of care. Children cannot provide fully informed legal consent and a parent or guardian’s approval should never be used as a blanket licence to capture, clone, train, or reuse a child’s voice indefinitely,” the letter said via Deadline.
Child protection in new media has become increasingly relevant in the last several years. As of April, right-to-delete laws are currently in the California legislature. The bill would require creators to delete content featuring minors if requested once the child turns 18. Sixteen states have introduced legislation modeled after the Coogan Law, requiring that trust funds be set aside for children who appear in online content in addition to traditional acting roles.
AI legislation is still in its infancy. According to mxdwn, OpenAI and SAG-AFRTRA agreed to protections last October. OpenAI’s Sora 2 reportedly used actor’s likeness without authorization and largely ignored prior agreements. Artificial intelligence could, in theory, open unforeseen loopholes in child protection.
“Any agreement involving a child’s voice should be fully exempt from all AI usage. No child should have their future professional identity shaped by an AI model created before they were old enough to understand its consequences. Their voice should not become a permanent commercial asset before they have the legal and personal capacity to decide for themselves,” the letter continued via Deadline.
AI usage in television has continually garnered backlash from viewers. According to mxdwn, Prime Video recently canceled the AI series Punky Duck. The project was intended to leverage AI and human creativity to pave the way forward for a struggling LA production market. Creator Jorge Gutiérrez (El Guapo vs The Narco Vampires, Maya and the Three) posted to X, “I will not be making a Punky Duck series. Actions speak louder than words. My intent was to showcase artists, both new and seasoned, both inside and outside the studios, driving this new tech. My sincerest apology to those I upset. I promise to do better moving forward. Thank you for your patience with me. I will try harder.” Amazon recently launched the GenAI Creator’s Fund to advance the technology.
In response to the letter, a Hasbro spokesperson said, “Hasbro is aware of the open letter circulating regarding AI clauses in children’s performance contracts. We are not able to comment on specific negotiations or contractual arrangements. The protection of child performers is core to who Hasbro is, it’s part of our DNA. As industry standards around AI continue to evolve, we are committed to engaging with this issue in a responsible and transparent manner,” per Deadline.