PeopleofSuperintelligence

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Duncan Crabtree-Ireland

Duncan Crabtree-Ireland is a union lawyer whose SAG-AFTRA bargaining has brought performers’ rights over AI use into contract talks. He studied international law and policy at Georgetown and earned his UC Davis law degree in 1998 before working as a Los Angeles County prosecutor. At SAG, he became general counsel in 2006, took part in the 2012 merger with AFTRA, and served as chief operating officer from 2014. The union appointed him national executive director and chief negotiator in 2021; he later raised consent questions about AI use and called a video-game performers’ strike. TIME named him to its 2025 TIME100 AI list; as of October 2026, he is SAG-AFTRA’s national executive director and chief negotiator.

Timeline

  1. 1998

    Studying law and policy

    He earns a bachelor’s degree in international law and policy from Georgetown and a Juris Doctor from UC Davis in 1998.

  2. 2000–2006

    Entering the union’s legal team

    After two years as a Los Angeles County prosecutor, he joins SAG in 2000 and becomes general counsel in 2006.

  3. 2012–2014

    Merging guilds

    He is involved in SAG and AFTRA’s successful 2012 merger and serves as SAG-AFTRA’s chief operating officer from 2014.

  4. May 2021

    Taking the chief negotiator role

    The union appoints him national executive director and chief negotiator to succeed David White.

  5. July 2023

    Questions of consent

    He raises how performers can consent to AI uses that may emerge years after a performance.

  6. July 2024

    Calling a video game strike

    He calls a strike of video-game performers covered by SAG-AFTRA’s Interactive Media Agreement.

  7. 2025

    Named to TIME100 AI

    TIME names him to the 2025 TIME100 AI list, which recognizes influential people in artificial intelligence.

  8. As of October 2026

    Leading the union

    He is SAG-AFTRA’s national executive director and chief negotiator.

Sources and credits

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  1. Duncan Crabtree-Ireland en.wikipedia.org. Checked 14 October 2026.
  2. Union Appoints Lawyer, Adds Organizing Chief latimes.com. Checked 14 October 2026.
  3. SAG-AFTRA names Crabtree-Ireland national executive director latimes.com. Checked 14 October 2026.
  4. Duncan Crabtree-Ireland Lays Out SAG-AFTRA's AI Fears thewrap.com. Checked 14 October 2026.
  5. Video game actors are going on strike after contract talks fail over AI terms latimes.com. Checked 14 October 2026.
  6. Speaker Details: EmTech AI 2027 event.technologyreview.com. Checked 14 October 2026.
  7. Duncan Crabtree-Ireland on How SAG and AFTRA Finally Became One Union awf.labortools.com. Checked 14 October 2026.