License your face for AI ads: what to agree before you start
A creator guide to the brand, samples, campaign rights, payment and final-ad approval to check before agreeing to AI likeness work.
Before you share face or voice samples, get the brand, product, message, production tools, allowed uses, review steps, payment terms and end date in writing. Then compare the finished ad and sample-handling terms with that scope.
What the process should make clear
In a campaign licence, you agree which uses of your identity the buyer may make. That can involve recording samples, discussing the product and reviewing generated ads. It does not automatically include posting to your followers or permission for every future AI use.
Before accepting an offer, confirm identity and age requirements, permitted countries, the capture setup and who pays any recording, shipping or tool costs. Requirements differ by provider; there is no universal eligibility rule or guaranteed campaign fee.
Use this decision sheet to compare an offer with what you are willing to do:
| Question | Proceed when | Ask for a change when |
|---|---|---|
| Who is buying and what will the ad say? | Named buyer, product and truthful message fit your limits | Client, claims or proposed use remain unclear |
| Where do samples go? | Named recipients and tools can meet agreed handling terms | Raw samples are requested without an explained purpose |
| What do you earn and do? | Fee, costs, capture and review work are written down | Payment depends on undefined acceptance or performance |
| Can you review and decline? | Exact final files and change rules are part of the process | A script approval is treated as approval of any later output |
Read the safe sample-sharing guide before sending source files.
Start with the brand and message
Ask who is buying the licence, which product the ad promotes and who will make it. If an agency contacts you, confirm the client and the person responsible for questions.
Read the proposed message before sharing samples. Does it fit what you know and believe? Could it conflict with an existing brand agreement? Write down topics, claims and settings you will not accept.
If the ad describes your own experience with a product, check every statement against what happened. For US ads, FTC guidance says an endorsement must reflect the endorser’s honest opinion and cannot misrepresent their experience. Other countries have their own rules. FTC endorsement guidance.
Ask how your face and voice samples will be handled
Before sharing recordings, ask which tools and people will access them, what they will create, how long each item will be kept, and whether the files or outputs may be reused or used to train a model. Ask about both the original recordings and derived items such as voice models, generated files and backups. Get a clear answer about what can be deleted, when, and who will confirm it.
Canadian privacy guidance from the Office of the Privacy Commissioner says people need clear information about what personal information is collected, who receives it, why it is used, and the risks or consequences. The guidance reflects PIPEDA and similar provincial laws and notes that obligations differ. Check which rules apply to the organization and campaign. Canadian consent guidance.
Put the permitted use in writing
Ask the agreement to name the identity elements, brand and product, channels and accounts, territory and dates. Check whether it allows translations, edits, extra versions, paid promotion from your account, or use in another campaign. State which changes need your approval.
Keep posting work separate in the scope. An ad from the brand’s account does not require you to post, reply to comments or give access to your account. If the campaign asks for any of those tasks, list the work and fee.
Review the finished ad
Ask to see the exact version people will see, including captions, voice, visuals and disclosures. A script alone cannot show how the final delivery changes the message.
Agree how to request changes, how long review lasts, and what happens if you decline. Name which later edits need another decision and whether they change payment. Save the approved file or version ID with your response.
Check the payment terms
Confirm the fee and currency, deductions, who pays, and when payment becomes due. Ask whether payment depends on recording, acceptance, launch or another event. If there are several ads, state how payment changes if you approve only some.
Discuss cancellation and rejected work before production. Compare the fee with the rights, restrictions, briefing, sample capture and review time the deal requires.
Use the creator pricing worksheet to count the work and restrictions. If a contract bundles sample processing, model training and ad use together, review the separate AI permission questions before deciding.
Plan the end and keep a record
Find the stop date and the person responsible for stopping ads. Ask how they will confirm that ads have stopped, which copies they can remove, and how to report use outside the agreement.
Keep the signed scope, approved versions and payment record together. If you find a disputed ad, save its link and date, then report it through the agreed contact.
Considering the Semblanse pilot?
Semblanse is pre-launch. Its planned process uses a separate campaign licence and creator approval of each final ad. The pilot’s price, review and payment terms must be agreed before work starts.
You can read the planned creator controls or apply to the creator pilot waitlist. Joining the waitlist gives Semblanse and brands no permission to use your face or voice.
Connect this decision to the campaign
New to the category? Read what AI likeness licensing covers before applying as a creator. If you are buying ads for a brand or agency, use the buyer service page instead; signup on either route grants no campaign rights.