Hollywood’s video game performers’ union has reached a tentative agreement with several major game companies that could end an almost year-long strike tied to the use of artificial intelligence.
Members of the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) began their strike in July 2024 after talks with top game makers stalled over demands for protections against AI.
As reported by APNews , the union said that unregulated AI posed “an equal or even greater threat” to performers in the video game industry than in film or television. This is because tools to cheaply and easily create convincing digital voice replicas are widely available.
Performers feared that unchecked AI could let game companies replace them by training software to mimic an actor’s voice or by creating a digital likeness without explicit written consent or prior notice.
“Patience and persistence has resulted in a deal that puts in place the necessary AI guardrails that defend performers’ livelihoods in the AI age, alongside other important gains,” said SAG-AFTRA National Executive Director and Chief Negotiator Duncan Crabtree-Ireland.
SAG-AFTRA negotiating with Activision, EA, and major game studios on AI protection deal
The union was negotiating with a group of game companies, such as Activision and Electronic Arts. This group also includes Blindlight LLC, Disney Character Voices Inc., Epic Games Inc., Formosa Interactive LLC, Insomniac Games Inc., Take-Two Productions Inc., and WB Games Inc.
SAG-AFTRA expects to finalize the terms of a strike suspension agreement with these companies soon, once final details are agreed upon. Until the deal is signed, members will stay on strike and won’t do any voice or performance work.
After that, the tentative contract must be approved by the SAG-AFTRA National Board and then ratified by union members before it can take effect.
Video game performers previously went on strike in October 2016. It lasted about eleven months and ended in September 2017 with a deal that added bonus pay for voice and performance-capture artists.
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