Video Game Stars Unite Against AI Threat – Will They Win?

On the bustling Warner Bros. Studios lot in Los Angeles, a powerful wave of action is about to hit. Video game performers are gearing up for a significant protest, highlighting the industry’s failure to protect voice actors and motion capture workers from the uncontrolled use of artificial intelligence (AI).

The labor action, which serves as the first large protest following a recent strike vote by game voice actors and performance workers, is a culmination of over 18 months of stalled negotiations with gaming giants like Activision, Warner Bros., and Walt Disney Co. The crux of the issue lies in the lack of safeguards around AI utilization in the gaming sector.

Here are key points and discussions surrounding the current dispute:

• Union leaders underscore AI as an existential threat to performers. The unmonitored use of this technology could result in the replication and exploitation of game voice actors and motion capture artists’ likenesses without their consent or just compensation.
• The need for stringent AI protections is paramount, claim the video game producers. They have presented proposals for increased wages and safeguards for SAG-AFTRA represented performers in video games.
• One major contention revolves around the definition of a “performer.” SAG-AFTRA argues that the studios’ narrow interpretation of this term leaves many vulnerable to exploitation as their physical performances are reduced to mere “data.”
• Negotiations have been ongoing with a collective of video game companies, including industry giants like Activision, Disney, and WB Games. These companies collectively grossed nearly $184 billion in revenue in 2023, with projections soaring to $207 billion by 2026.
• The ultimate goal is to strike a balance that upholds performers’ rights while embracing technological advancements for an enhanced gaming experience.

In the face of a rapidly evolving gaming landscape, the call for industry-wide reform to ensure fair treatment of performers grows louder. It is imperative that all stakeholders come together in good faith to champion equitable practices that benefit both talent and technology alike. The time for change is now.