Video game voice actors represented by SAG-AFTRA, one of the largest actors’ unions in the U.S., are on strike. After more than a year of negotiations with the West’s biggest publishers, including Activision Blizzard, EA, and Take Two, talks have stalled over one of the most contentious points of contention: artificial intelligence.
Artificial intelligence is proving to be an industry-shaking development in voice acting. New AI software is able to train on pre-existing performances and use those voice work to output its own lines. For video game companies, this presents an opportunity to have a quick and easy solution for voice acting, but for the actors themselves, it is an existential threat. Not only does it use their own copyrighted performances as a basis, it threatens their jobs.
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As for which studios will be affected, here are a few: Take Two (Grand Theft Auto 6), Activision (Call of Duty: Black Ops 6), Insomniac (Marvel’s Spider-Man 2), Electronic Arts (FIFA), and third-party voiceover studio Formosa Interactive. It’s unclear how each company will be affected, but the fact is that any union voice actors working with these companies will no longer be able to continue working unless the Screen Actors Guild and the Television and Radio Artists Guild stipulate otherwise or reach an agreement.
“We will not agree to a contract that allows companies to misuse AI to the detriment of our members,” Fran Drescher, president of the Screen Actors Guild and the Federation of Television and Radio Artists, said in a statement to Game Files. […] Enough is enough. When these companies are serious about offering a deal that our members can accept and work for, we will be here, ready to negotiate.”
Audrey Cooling, who represents the affected video game companies, also provided a statement to Game File: “We are disappointed that the union chose to walk away from the deal just as we were close to reaching an agreement. We remain prepared to resume negotiations.” […] We have reached consensus on 24 of 25 proposals, including historic wage increases and additional safety provisions. Our proposals directly respond to SAG-AFTRA’s concerns and expand meaningful AI protections, including requiring consent and fair compensation for all actors working with AI. [Interactive Media Agreement]. These terms are among the strongest in the entertainment industry.”
Hopefully, the striking voice actors can come to a suitable agreement regarding the use of AI in the coming months.
