Last July, SAG-AFTRA declared a strike against video game publishers over several issues, including pay and the lack of AI protections. That strike is now in its eighth month with no resolution in sight. According to the actors’ union, the game publishers’ unwillingness to bend on AI is why there’s still no deal.
Via Eurogamer, SAG-AFTRA chief negotiator Duncan Crabtree-Ireland and chair of the Interactive Media Negotiating Committee Sarah Elmaleh shot down reports that a deal was near and alleged that publishers hoped that the actors would turn on each other. While the duo noted that some issues have been agreed upon, the publishers’ AI proposals fall far short of what the actors want.
“The last proposal the bargaining group made is still filled with alarming loopholes that will leave our members vulnerable to AI abuse,” wrote Crabtree and Elmaleh. They went on to lay out the sticking points, such as proposals that all of an actors’ past performances–including those outside of the video game realm–could be used by AI without protections. They also suggest that producers want the ability to use AI to recreate actors’ voices in the event of future strikes.
As an example of AI overreach, Neil Newbon told EW that a character-creator app used his own voice without permission, which is one of the key issues remaining in the strike.
“That was definitely a boundary overstepping,” said Newbon. “This is the problem with AI, that people are very carelessly using it to not only create characters that they shouldn’t be using, but also people.”
SAG-AFTRA also noted that it has signed interim deals with the producers of 160 games–an increase from 80 games back in September–and touted them as being more profitable than the gaming companies they’re still striking against. Several actors have indicated that they see the AI fight as an existential issue for their careers, and some games have already temporarily dropped performers from their roles or attempted to replace them with other actors. Until a new deal is reached, several fan-favorite video game characters may remain voiceless.