Video Game Workers Strike Over AI Use Concerns

A prominent Hollywood union, the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA), has announced a strike against several major video game producers. This sweeping action affects all video game work produced under its Interactive Media Agreement. T

he decision to strike comes after more than a year of fruitless negotiations with video game manufacturers over the use of artificial intelligence (AI) and its impact on performers.

The negotiations involve leading industry players, including Activision Productions, Electronic Arts, Take-Two Interactive, Epic Games, Disney Character Voices, and Warner Bros Discovery's WB Games. The core of the dispute is the union’s demand for fair compensation and the explicit right of informed consent when it comes to the AI use involving video game performers' faces, voices, and bodies.

Despite the companies reaching agreements on a broad range of issues, they have not agreed to include all performers covered by the contract in their AI provisions.

While employers have conceded to 24 out of 25 proposals presented by the union, including wage increases and safety measures, the sticking point remains the protections surrounding AI usage. The video game firms expressed disappointment over the union's decision to strike, suggesting that they were nearing a comprehensive agreement.

This is not the first time SAG-AFTRA has gone on strike in the entertainment industry. Last year, actors and writers represented by the union also initiated a strike against Hollywood studios, citing poor working conditions and insufficient AI safeguards among their concerns.

The use of AI in entertainment has been a contentious issue, as it raises questions about the rights of performers in the evolving digital landscape. As technology advances, allowing for more lifelike digital representations and even the potential for AI-generated performances that closely mimic real actors, the union is pushing to establish clear boundaries and protections.

With both sides seemingly locked in their positions, the path forward is uncertain. The industry, which heavily relies on the talent represented by SAG-AFTRA, may have to navigate significant disruption if a resolution is not reached soon. For now, the strike holds, highlighting the challenges faced by performers in an industry at the edge of a technological frontier.