Start with the right question
A request to use a voice or face can hide several different activities: collecting source recordings, training a model, producing new performances, and licensing outputs. Break the proposal into those activities before deciding whether the permission being requested is sufficiently clear.
Work through the checks
Describe the permitted use
Identify the project, channels, audience, and types of statements the replica may produce. Distinguish a single approved recording from an open-ended ability to generate new speech or images.
Identify control points
Ask who approves outputs, who can access the model, and whether subcontractors may use it. Record how an objection or correction is handled. A vague promise of oversight is difficult to evaluate.
Address duration and exit
Ask about the term, renewal, withdrawal process, existing published material, and retained training files. Record what can and cannot be deleted. Technical deletion and legal permission are separate questions.
Keep authority clear
Verify that the person granting permission can do so for the proposed material. Special circumstances, including minors, employment, or collective agreements, need tailored review rather than a generic online form.
A record you can use
- Person and source material
- Permitted and excluded uses
- Output approval process
- Access and sublicensing
- Term, exit, and retained copies
Keep this record locally. Use document references rather than publishing account numbers or other people's personal details. An empty field means the information is still missing; it should not be filled with an AI guess.
Worked example
A fictional narrator agrees to one training video. A later proposal would let the customer generate new sales messages in the narrator's voice. The checklist treats that as a new scope question and records compensation, approval, and access issues before anyone assumes the original recording permission covers it.
This example is fictional and illustrates the method, not a real case result.
Limits and next steps
Digital-replica rules differ by place and context. This is a discussion checklist, not a consent contract or a statement that a particular use is lawful. Seek qualified advice before granting broad or permanent rights.
Write the proposed use in plain language and have the actual agreement reviewed. Keep the signed terms with the source material and approved outputs so future users can see the limits.