Actors and artists in the video game industry, known for their most recognized work in Hollywood, are gearing up to demonstrate on the property of Warner Bros. Studios. The protest is set for this Thursday, aiming to draw attention to what they perceive as the lack of suitable defense mechanisms for voice actors and motion capture artists in the wake of rapidly expanding artificial intelligence applications. They argument that top-tier gaming corporations fail to establish protective measures equally across all segments of their workforce.
This demonstration stands as a significant event denoting the first major labor activism from the union since its members, comprised of game voice actors and motion capture workers, decided to strike in the previous week. The decision to halt their work contributions was the resultant outcome of prolonged negotiations spanning over a year and a half. These conversations took place among the leading names in the industry, including business units from Activision, Warner Bros., and Walt Disney Co.
The roundtable discussions were centered around a fresh new agreement for interactive media. However, the talks were interrupted and eventually stagnated due to disagreements over AI utilization safeguards. Key figures within the union have painted a rather bleak picture of AI, even going so far as to label it as an existential threat to professional performers within the industry.
One of the core issues of concern, according to those within the union, involves the potential for AI technology to recreate the likenesses of game voice actors and motion capture artists. Without proper regulations, these AI-generated reproductions could be employed without obtaining consent from, or offering fair compensation to, the professionals whose identity and work have been appropriated.
The union has voiced strong concerns regarding AI’s rising prominence in the video game industry. It is argued that AI’s unregulated application could pose a more serious threat to professionals within the gaming sector compared to their counterparts working in the realm of film or television. This is primarily due to the ability to inexpensively and effectively generate digital clones of performers’ unique vocal profiles using readily available software and algorithms.
In attempting to protect its members, SAG-AFTRA— the union’s negotiating committee— has stressed the importance of precisely defining the term ‘performer’ within the industry context. Their contention is that this definition would in turn shape the discourse around who can and should be protected from potential AI exploitation.
An explicit statement from industry representatives has made clear the fact they do not necessarily view all individuals involved in performance-rendering as ‘performers’ within the purview of the collective bargaining agreement. Ray Rodriguez, the Chief Contracts Officer at SAG-AFTRA, commented on the issue at a press meet held last week. He highlighted instances where physical actions are simply treated as ‘data’, affirming the need for due recognition of all forms of performance contributions.
Negotiations have predominantly taken place between representatives of the union and a collective bargaining group comprised of multiple video game companies. These firms have agreed to abide by the proposed rules and regulations, marking a significant stride in the ongoing negotiations, yet persisting issues remain.
To provide some context, the worldwide video game industry raked in close to $184 billion in terms of revenue during the course of 2023. It’s essential to consider this sheer financial magnitude while contemplating the ongoing dispute. These statistics, predicted by a market research firm, Newzoo, further forecast the industry revenues to hit the staggering figure of $207 billion by the year 2026.
A statement released on behalf of the bargaining group affirmed their commitment towards including the contributions of SAG-AFTRA-aligned performers in their future projects. It was noted explicitly that they would persist in striving to iron out the remaining issue which has been a sticking point in these negotiations.
Cooling, serving as a representative for the games industry, conveyed their ultimate objective: to strike an agreement with the union. This would be of paramount importance to bring the ongoing strike to an amicable conclusion without further extending the disagreement.