- SAG-AFTRA strikes should continue in the midst of concerns concerning AI protections
- The union has published a new graphus detailing the questions related to the AI which remain to be contained
- Several games in English voice still have many major unpaid characters in recent updates
Union SAG -AFTRA (Screen Actors Guild – American Federation of Television and Radio Artists) has created a comparison table as update of its in progress negotiations with the Gaming Industry Negotiation Group. The main point to remember is that the two entities remain “frustrating and distant” on the question of AI protections for the actors of the video game voice.
IGN reports that the union has published a comparison graph which describes in detail the problems that IT and the negotiation group are still working. More specifically, the graph “focuses on recent exchanges relating to AI”.
The elements highlighted in purple in the graph represent questions which have been temporarily agreed between Sag-Aftra and the negotiation group (which is composed of representatives of video game publishing companies).
However, discussions on several key questions are underway. These include “digital replica or generative use of AI for all work” as well as the idea that “employers must disclose if it mixes your voice with other voices to make a digital replica”.
Alongside the graph, Duncan Crabtree-Ireland de Sag-Aftra wrote the following declaration to the members of the union:
“With their previously signed projects that make their way through the production pipeline, employers feel pressure from the strike, while Sag-Aftra members who work in video games continue to stand together and refuse to work without adequate protection.
“This means that employers are looking for other artists they can exploit to fill these roles, including those who do not generally play in games. If you are approached for such a role, we urge you to seriously consider the consequences.
“Not only do you come up with the efforts of your colleagues, but you would get in danger by working without protection against improper use of AI. And” abusive “is just a good way of saying that these companies want to use your performance to replace you – without consent or compensation.”
The spokesperson for the Gaming Industry Trade Industry group, Audrey Cooling, published a statement in response, saying: “We have offered an agreement that includes salary increases of more than 15% for artists represented by Sag-Aftra in video games, as well as additional discounts and additional remuneration for the return for the performance of an actor. Table to conclude an agreement.”
Negotiations continue in the midst of popular video game characters that are not excited. Games like Destiny 2, Call of Duty: Black Ops 6, Honkai: Star Rail, And Zero zero zero were particularly affected.
More recently, Zero zero zero The actors Emeri Chase and Nicholas Thurkettle talked about their roles respectively for the Soldier 11 and Von Lycaon characters, having been replaced.
In a Bluesky thread, Chase wrote that they were “replaced as a soldier 11 because I am not willing to carry out work not covered by a SAG provisional agreement during a strike for the protection of the AI, whose result will determine the future of our industry”.
In response, Thurkettle added: “I am not sagged, but what game companies want to do with AI is an existential threat. I took a personal position to ask for protection and I had to be willing to abandon the best thing that has ever happened in my professional life. I am next to my choice.”
