It looks like the video game industry will be next to experience a mass strike. The Screen Actors Guild‐American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) is expressing increased concerns about the use of AI in the video game industry. Negotiations have stopped between SAG-AFTRA and video game companies over the Interactive Media Agreement, which governs union members’ work in games. The main point of disagreement revolves around protecting actors’ rights, as AI plays a larger role in voice work.
SAG-AFTRA leadership thinks there might be a strike. Variety reported SAG-AFTRA national executive director and chief negotiator Duncan Crabtree-Ireland said a strike is “50-50…” Essentially, they want AI to help with production, not just replace voice actors. Duncan Crabtree-Ireland, SAG-AFTRA national executive director, also wants members to agree to and get paid for their voices or faces being used in AI development.
If it happens, the potential strike could impact big companies in the gaming industry, such as Activision, Electronic Arts, Take 2 Productions, and Warner Bros. Games. Voice actors are concerned that the rapid advancement of AI technology could result in job losses and constrain their earning potential.
Amidst recent developments, conflict has arisen over SAG-AFTRA’s agreement with Replica Studios, an AI voice technology company. The agreement permits game developers to utilize Replica’s technology to access union members’ voices under certain conditions. Although the leadership has approved it, numerous voice actors have criticized it, claiming they were not sufficiently consulted or briefed.
Prominent voice actors like David Hayter (Solid Snake) and Jennifer Hale (Commander Shepard) have spoken to Eurogamer about how AI might affect their jobs. The potential SAG-AFTRA strike shows that there’s a debate about whether it’s right to use AI this way and how to ensure workers’ protection as technology changes.
AI is tricky because companies may want to take the easy way out. However, the quality of the result is debatable, and using someone else’s voice without their consent is terrible. We’ll have to see how it all plays out, but there may be a strike in the near future if it continues as is.
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