Published on August 5, 2024

Video Game Actors Go on Strike Over AI Concerns, Threatening Industry Disruptions

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Henry Russell

@henryrussell

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TL;DR intro

Actors and Performers StrikeVideo game actors and motion-capture performers are on strike, citing AI as a threat to their jobs.
Failed Negotiations:The strike comes after negotiations with major gaming companies failed to address AI-related concerns.
Hollywood Labor ActionsThis strike marks the latest in a series of labor actions across Hollywood related to AI and its impact on creative industries.

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The Path Forward

The strike has highlighted a growing tension between the rapid advancement of AI and the rights of creative professionals. While the NO FAKES Act could provide some protection, its passage is not guaranteed, and the current strike demonstrates the urgency of addressing these issues at both the industry and legislative levels.

As the strike continues, the video game industry faces uncertainty. The outcome of this labor action could set a precedent for how AI is managed across creative fields, influencing future negotiations in Hollywood and beyond.

Video game actors and motion-capture performers in the United States have officially gone on strike, raising alarms about the potential impact of artificial intelligence (AI) on their careers. The strike began on July 26, 2024, after months of unsuccessful negotiations with major video game companies like Activision, Electronic Arts, Epic Games, and Warner Bros. Games.

Actors on the picket lines, including Leeanna Albanese, known for her role in Persona 5 Tactica, have voiced concerns that AI is being used to replicate their voices and movements without their consent or compensation. "The models they're using have been trained on our voices without our permission, and we haven't seen a dime," Albanese stated during a protest in front of Warner Bros. Games in Burbank, California.

This strike follows in the footsteps of earlier labor actions in Hollywood, where AI has been a significant concern for both writers and actors. Video game performers are now joining the broader movement, demanding protections against the unauthorized use of AI in their industry.

Industry Impact and the Fight for AI Regulations

The decision to strike is not without potential repercussions for the gaming industry. Analysts suggest that while large gaming companies like Electronic Arts and Take-Two Interactive may weather the strike due to their in-house development teams and long production cycles, smaller studios could face more significant challenges.

The strike also brings attention to a larger issue within the entertainment industry: the lack of comprehensive national laws to protect against AI exploitation. Currently, there is no federal law that specifically addresses the unauthorized use of AI to replicate a person's voice or likeness. However, there is growing support for the NO FAKES Act, a bipartisan bill in Congress that would make it illegal to create AI replicas of someone's likeness or voice without their consent. This legislation has garnered support from various organizations, including the SAG-AFTRA performers union, the Motion Picture Association, and The Recording Academy.

"We need national protection from the misuse of AI," said Albanese. "The NO FAKES Act is a step in the right direction, but we need it to become law sooner rather than later."

The Stakes Are High for the Future of Gaming

The current strike is reminiscent of the 2016 video game strike, which lasted 11 months and resulted in significant gains for performers, including better pay and safety standards. This time, the stakes are higher, with AI posing an existential threat to the industry's human talent.

SAG-AFTRA, the union representing these actors, has been adamant about securing AI protections for all types of performers. The union's demands include safeguards against digital replicas of performances and the use of generative AI to create new content without the performer's involvement. However, negotiations have hit a roadblock, with game companies pushing back on which performers should be covered under these protections.

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Ray Rodriguez, SAG-AFTRA's chief contracts officer, noted that while some companies were willing to offer protections for voice actors, they initially resisted extending these to motion-capture performers. "Their offer would have left stunt performers and creature actors entirely unprotected," Rodriguez said.

Although some concessions were made to include motion-capture actors, the union rejected the proposals as insufficient. "Their proposal only covered performances that are exact replicas, which would exclude the majority of movement-based performances," said Andi Norris, a member of SAG-AFTRA's negotiating committee.

Despite the strike, game companies insist that their offer addresses the union's concerns. "Our proposal includes some of the strongest AI protections in the entertainment industry," said Audrey Cooling, a representative for the video game companies involved in the negotiations. "We remain open to continuing discussions with SAG-AFTRA to reach a resolution."