Video game actors, companies reach tentative deal to end nearly year-long strike over AI

The union for Hollywood video game artists has reached a provisional contract with several video game companies, which could end a strike almost a year linked to the use of artificial intelligence.

The members of the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television of Television and Radio Artists were on strike in July 2024 after the negotiations with the giants of the game industry stopped on the protections of the AI.

SAG-AFTRA said that the unregulated use of AI posed “an equal or even greater threat” for artists in the video game industry than in cinema and television, because the ability to create convincing digital replicas of the votes of artists is widely available.

The artists feared that the uncontrolled use of the AI ​​will provide game manufacturers with a way to move them – by dragging an AI to reproduce the voice of an actor, or to create a digital replica of their resemblance without consent.

“Patience and persistence have resulted in an agreement that sets up the necessary railing that defend the livelihoods of artists in the AI ​​era, alongside other important gains,” said National Executive Director of Sag-Aftra and chief negotiator Duncan Crabtree-Ireland in a press release.

The union had negotiated with an industry negotiation group made up of signatory video game companies, including Activision and Electronic Arts divisions.

These companies include Activision Productions Inc., Blinklight LLC, Disney Character Voices Inc., Electronic Arts Productions Inc., Epic Games Inc., Formosa Interactive LLC, Insomniac Games Inc., Take 2 Productions Inc. and WB Games Inc.

The union said that it provided that the terms of a strike suspension agreement will soon be finalized with the companies.

The members of the union will remain on strike until such an agreement is concluded.

The provisional contract agreement still owes the approval of the National Council and the ratification by the members of the Union. Video game artists had already been launched in October 2016, with a provisional agreement concluded 11 months later, in September 2017.

This strike helped obtain a bonus remuneration structure for voice actors and performance capture artists.