AI advertising clearance workflow

Clear the person, the proposed use and the actual output as three connected decisions. A release in a folder is not enough if nobody can tie it to the file that ships.

Gate one: before sourcing or capture

Name the buyer, campaign, intended use, identity elements, channels, territory, languages and dates.
Invite the proposed person or representative before listing, capture, cloning or use.
Separate a high-level sourcing brief from confidential scripts and production files.

Gate two: before generation

Verify the real person and their authority to grant the requested rights.
Put the specific scope, script rules, approvals, asset version and term into one signed agreement.
Secure payment before the licensed asset or generation route unlocks.
Keep face assets inside the agreed custody path and voice generation inside the hosted, metered route.

Gate three: before publication

Confirm that the final script, claims, media, territory, language and dates remain inside scope.
Register the release and connect its output hash to the person, asset version, licence and generation event.
Apply required advertising disclosures and substantiate the claims made in the advertisement.

The FTC states that endorsements must be truthful and not misleading, and that material connections which could affect how consumers evaluate an endorsement should be disclosed. Identity permission does not replace those advertising obligations.

Source: Federal Trade Commission, advertisement endorsements.

Gate four: client handoff and change control

Hand over the signed agreement hash, scope, term, covered asset version, current status and release receipt.
Record who approved the release and when.
Route a new brand, script, channel, territory, language, format or term back through scope review.
Keep expiry and revocation visible to the team controlling future generation.

The stop rule

If the identity, permission, production plan and output evidence do not join up, stop before publication. Resolve the missing record rather than asking a disclosure label or AI tool contract to carry rights it does not contain.

Bring a clearance brief Review the clause map

This workflow supports a commercial review. It is not legal advice or a substitute for campaign counsel, union requirements, platform rules or jurisdiction-specific clearance.

Common questions

What should an agency clear before generating an AI likeness?

Confirm the real person, their authority, the exact intended use, asset version, generation route, approvals, term and secured payment before generation begins.

Are the AI tool’s terms enough to clear the person?

No. Tool terms govern the tool relationship. Permission from the identifiable person must be established separately.

What should the client receive?

The client handoff should include the signed agreement hash, scope, term, asset version, current licence status and a receipt for each registered release.

What happens when the campaign changes?

Compare the change with the signed scope. A materially different use or anything outside scope needs fresh review and permission before production continues.