SAG-AFTRA Files Unfair Labor Practice Charge Against Epic Games Over AI-Generated Darth Vader Voice in Fortnite

Fortnite's AI Darth Vader spawns unfair labor practice charge from voice union

On Monday, SAG-AFTRA filed an unfair labor practice charge with the National Labor Relations Board against Epic subsidiary Llama Productions for implementing an AI-generated Darth Vader voice in Fortnite on Friday without first notifying or bargaining with the union, as their contract requires. Llama Productions is the official signatory to SAG-AFTRA's collective bargaining agreement for Fortnite, making it legally responsible for adhering to the union's terms regarding the employment of voice actors and other performers. "We celebrate the right of our members and their estates to control the use of their digital replicas and welcome the use of new technologies," SAG-AFTRA stated in a news release. "However, we must protect our right to bargain terms and conditions around uses of voice that replace the work of our members, including those who previously did the work of matching Darth Vader's iconic rhythm and tone in video games." The union's complaint comes just days after the feature sparked a separate controversy when players discovered that they could manipulate the AI into using profanity and inappropriate language until Epic quickly implemented a fix. The AI-controlled in-game character uses Google's Gemini 2.0 to generate dialogue and ElevenLabs' Flash v2.5 AI model trained on the voice of the late James Earl Jones to speak real-time responses to player questions. For voice actors who previously portrayed Darth Vader in video games, the Fortnite feature starkly illustrates how AI voice synthesis could reshape their profession. While James Earl Jones created the iconic voice for films, at least 54 voice actors have performed as Vader in various media games over the years when Jones wasn't available -- work that could vanish if AI replicas become the industry standard. The union strikes back SAG-AFTRA's labor complaint (which can be read online here) doesn't focus on the AI feature's technical problems or on permission from the Jones estate, which explicitly authorized the use of a synthesized version of his voice for the character in Fortnite. The late actor, who died in 2024, had signed over his Darth Vader voice rights before his death. Instead, the union's grievance centers on labor rights and collective bargaining. In the NLRB filing, SAG-AFTRA alleges that Llama Productions "failed and refused to bargain in good faith with the union by making unilateral changes to terms and conditions of employment, without providing notice to the union or the opportunity to bargain, by utilizing AI-generated voices to replace bargaining unit work on the Interactive Program Fortnite." The action comes amid SAG-AFTRA's ongoing interactive media strike, which began in July 2024 after negotiations with video game producers stalled primarily over AI protections. The strike continues, with more than 100 games signing interim agreements, while others, including those from major publishers like Epic, remain in dispute.

SAG-AFTRA files complaint over Fortnite's AI Darth Vader

Ash Parrish is a reporter who covers the business, culture, and communities of video games, with a focus on marginalized gamers and the quirky, horny culture of video game communities. SAG-AFTRA, the organization that represents voice, motion, and screen performers, has filed an unfair labor complaint against Epic Games. The complaint stems from the company's recent introduction of an AI programmed to sound like James Earl Jones' Darth Vader that can respond to a player's actions and questions. SAG-AFTRA wrote in a statement that it understands its members and members' estates wish to use AI technology in any way they choose. "However," SAG-AFTRA's statement continued, "we must protect our right to bargain terms and conditions around uses of voice that replace the work of our members, including those who previously did the work of matching Darth Vader's iconic rhythm and tone in video games." While the AI "revolution" slowly replaces human workers with oftentimes inferior products and despite some members' distaste for the practice, SAG-AFTRA has embraced the idea of using AI trained to replicate an actor's performance. It has established contracts and partnerships with several AI companies with the idea being members can use this technology with specific contract-guaranteed protections. So the act of using an AI to replace Darth Vader's voice performers (both the late James Earl Jones and those brought in after his death to match his performance) isn't what SAG-AFTRA is objecting to. Rather it's the fact that this was done without Epic Games sitting down with SAG-AFTRA at the bargaining table to hash out the specifics. "Fortnite's signatory company, Llama Productions, chose to replace the work of human performers with AI. technology," SAG-AFTRA wrote. "Unfortunately, they did so without providing any notice of their intent to do this and without bargaining with us over appropriate terms." The Verge has reached out to Epic Games for comment.AI and its use in video game voice and motion performance is the main stumbling block in the ongoing video game voice actor strike. Negotiations between SAG-AFTRA and the signatory companies of its interactive media agreement broke down last year and performers have been on strike since July - a length of time that eclipses both the actors and writers strike of 2023.

Actors' Union Moves Against Epic Games Over Fortnite's AI Darth Vader Voice

Hollywood artists' union SAG-AFTRA is going after Epic Games over the use of Darth Vader's AI-generated voice in Fortnite. The character appears in Fortnite's Star Wars event and interacts with players in James Earl Jones' cloned voice. Epic acquired the rights to use the late actor's voice from his family and trained their character on archived clips using ElevenLabs, a text-to-speech AI voice provider, and Google's Gemini 2.0 Flash model. While SAG-AFTRA isn't against the use of AI to replicate an artist's performance, updated member contracts say that producers must send a notice to the union and negotiate with them before doing so. The union has also signed deals with several AI companies to give artists control over who gets to use their work and at what cost. Epic Games, however, "failed and refused to bargain in good faith with the union by making unilateral changes to terms and conditions of employment, without providing notice to the union or the opportunity to bargain, by utilizing AI-generated voices to replace bargaining unit work on the Interactive Program Fortnite," SAG-AFTRA says in an Unfair Labor Practice (ULP) filing with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB). The complaint arrives amidst SAG-AFTRA's ongoing strike against video game employers to ensure "fundamental AI protections" and fair pay for members. The strike has been going on for close to a year, and there is no deal yet in place with video game companies. "We must protect our right to bargain terms and conditions around uses of voice that replace the work of our members, including those who previously did the work of matching Darth Vader's iconic rhythm and tone in video games," SAG-AFTRA said in its statement following the complaint.

SAG-AFTRA says Fortnite's AI Darth Vader voice violates fair labor practices

SAG-AFTRA, the labor union representing performers in film, television and interactive media, has submitted an Unfair Labor Practice (ULP) filing against Epic Games for using an AI-generated version of Darth Vader's voice in the current season of Fortnite. Disney and Epic first announced on May 16 that Fortnite would feature a take on the character using an AI-generated version of James Earl Jones' voice. The issue in SAG-AFTRA's eyes is that the union is currently on strike while it negotiates a new contract with video game companies, and using an AI-generated voice represents Epic refusing to "bargain in good faith." The AI-powered version of Darth Vader is interactive, but that doesn't change the fact that the video game version of Darth Vader has frequently been played by actors other than Jones. Disney got permission from Jones and his family to use AI to replicate his voice for film and TV in 2022, so there is precedent for an AI performance of this kind. After Jones' death in September 2024, the AI route technically became the only way to use Darth Vader's "original voice," other than reusing clips of past performances. Unless of course Epic or Disney wanted to pay another actor to play Darth Vader, which would require coming to an agreement on a new contract for video game performers. ULP filings are reviewed by the National Labor Review Board and can lead to hearings and injunctive relief (a court ordering Epic to remove Darth Vader from the game until a settlement is reached, for example). They are also often used as a way for unions to provoke companies to come back to the bargaining table or respond with a more realistic offer. SAG-AFTRA's Interactive Media Strike has been ongoing since July 26, 2024. SAG-AFTRA members originally voted in favor of a strike in September 2023 for better wages and AI protections. Engadget has reached out to both Disney and Epic for comment on SAG-AFTRA's ULP filing. We'll update this article if we hear back.

SAG-AFTRA files unfair labor practice charge over use of AI to make Darth Vader's voice in Fortnite

LOS ANGELES (AP) -- Hollywood's actors' union filed an unfair labor practice charge against Llama Productions on Monday, alleging the company replaced actors' work by using artificial intelligence to generate Darth Vader's voice in Fortnite without notice. The Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists said Llama Productions, a subsidiary of gaming giant Epic Games, "failed and refused to bargain in good faith with the union" in the last six months. The company made unilateral changes to the terms and conditions of employment "without providing notice to the union or the opportunity to bargain" by using AI-generated voices to replace bargaining unit work, SAG-AFTRA said. Epic Games did not immediately respond to a request for comment. SAG-AFTRA called a strike against major game companies in July after more than a year of negotiations around the union's interactive media agreement broke down over concerns around the use of unregulated artificial intelligence. In a statement, SAG-AFTRA said the union supports the rights of members and their estates to control the use of their digital replicas. "However, we must protect our right to bargain terms and conditions around uses of voice that replace the work of our members, including those who previously did the work of matching Darth Vader's iconic rhythm and tone in video games," the union said.

Fortnite's AI-generated Darth Vader voice sparks SAG-AFTRA legal complaint

Serving tech enthusiasts for over 25 years. TechSpot means tech analysis and advice you can trust. What just happened? The use of AI to recreate the voice of the late James Earl Jones for Darth Vader in Fortnite has run into more controversy. Soon after players managed to make the character swear and say racially charged slurs, actors union SAG-AFTRA has filed an unfair labor practice charge against Llama Productions, a subsidiary of Epic Games. In 2022, Jones, who passed away in 2024, gave his blessing to the artificial recreations of the Darth Vader voice, a role he had occupied for 45 years. The company creating the convincing imitations, Respeecher, says it trains text-to-speech models using recordings of actors who can no longer play parts. The AI voice technology was used to bring Vader back to Fortnite last week. Not only are players able to recruit the Sith Lord, but they can also speak directly with him using Fortnite's in-game audio chat functionality. The move has incurred the wrath of actors' union SAG-AFTRA, which has long rallied against the use of AI. It wrote that it does support the rights of members and estates to use their digital replicas in any way they see fit. "However, we must protect our right to bargain terms and conditions around uses of voice that replace the work of our members, including those who previously did the work of matching Darth Vader's iconic rhythm and tone in video games." The union adds that Llama Productions chose to replace the work of human performers with AI, something the company allegedly did without providing any notice of their intent to do this and without bargaining with SAG-AFTRA over appropriate terms. The filing isn't because AI was used in this instance - Jones' estate had agreed to it - it's because Llama Productions used the voices without telling the union or giving it a chance to negotiate terms. That's considered bad-faith bargaining under labor law. In July 2024, after 18 months of negotiations, SAG-AFTRA performers who work on video games began striking after negotiations with publishers over the use of generative AI broke down. Two weeks ago, major video game companies involved in negotiations said they had made their "best and last" offer in negotiations to end the strike. The union filed a response, proposing a list of new terms. Unsurprisingly, it didn't take long before gamers were able to make Vader swear and use slurs. Fortnite quickly updated the guardrails to ensure Vader doesn't say anything unbecoming of a respected villain.

Fortnite faces complaint from actors' union over AI Darth Vader

Actor union Sag-Aftra has filed a complaint over the use of artificial intelligence (AI) to recreate the voice of Star Wars villain Darth Vader in Fortnite. The union said Llama Productions - a subsidiary of Epic, which makes the hit video game - had chosen "to replace the work of human performers with AI technology". It has alleged the company did so without informing the union of its intentions or bargaining over terms. The BBC has approached Epic Games for comment. The union's Unfair Labour Practice complaint, filed to the US National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), alleges that the company made "unilateral changes to terms and conditions of employment, without providing notice to the union or the opportunity to bargain, by utilising AI-generated voices to replace bargaining unit work". It said this amounted to a failure by the employer to "bargain in good faith". In the game, players can fight against Darth Vader, recruit the character to their team and interact with it. "Strategise with the ultimate Sith Lord. With your voice. And he'll respond back using conversational AI," the company wrote in an announcement on Friday. It said its AI voice recreation of the Star Wars villain would not have been possible, nor "nearly as sinister" without the agreement of the estate of James Earl Jones - the late actor who voiced Darth Vader in the film franchise. An attached statement from the actor's family said he "felt that the voice of Darth Vader was inseparable from the story of Star Wars" and "always wanted fans of all ages to continue to experience it". "We hope that this collaboration with Fortnite will allow both longtime fans of Darth Vader and newer generations to share in the enjoyment of this iconic character," they added. Sag-Aftra said it welcomed its members and their estate exercising their right to control how digital replicas are used - but wanted to be involved so actors more widely could benefit. "We must protect our right to bargain terms and conditions around uses of voice that replace the work of our members, including those who previously did the work of matching Darth Vader's iconic rhythm and tone in video games," it said. The complaint comes against the backdrop of video game and voice actors growing increasingly concerned over the use of AI to reduce their work or replace them altogether. Hollywood actors such as Scarlett Johansson have also highlighted concerns over how their digital likeness could be manipulated using generative AI. Sag-Aftra, which represents actors across gaming, film, television and radio, has been continuing to try and reach agreements on terms around video game voice actors rights since strikes began last year. Voice actors connected to the SAG-Aftra union have been refusing to work with companies like Activision, Disney, Warner Bros and EA since July over issues such as the use of generative artificial intelligence. These included assurances over the use of digital replicas in video games. There are also worries the AI-powered tech could be misused. Wired reported that Fortnite players were already finding ways to make Darth Vader's character swear in voice chats.

Fortnite's Darth Vader Is A.I.-Powered. Voice Actors Are Rebelling.

Months after the death of James Earl Jones, the booming voice of Darth Vader, Fortnite players are having in-game conversations with the "Star Wars" villain about being a Jedi and his conflict with Obi-Wan Kenobi. Sometimes his responses have been witty: "I sense no connection to the force within you." Others were comedic, with Darth Vader telling one curious player that lightsabers were weapons, "not gardening tools." Thank -- or blame -- artificial intelligence. A few years before Jones died, he agreed to let A.I. learn from archival recordings of his vocal performance, and his estate has publicly supported the actor's presence in Fortnite. But the new collaboration has been contentious because of a larger battle over A.I. that has led actors to strike against video game companies for more than nine months. SAG-AFTRA, the union representing tens of thousands of actors, filed an unfair labor practice charge on Monday that said the use of A.I. to generate Jones's voice in Fortnite had violated the union's right to negotiate changes to its bargaining agreement. The charge, which was filed with the National Labor Relations Board, accuses Llama Productions, a subsidiary of Epic Games, of "making unilateral changes to terms and conditions of employment" without providing notice to the union or allowing the opportunity to bargain. David Hoppe, a managing partner at Gamma Law, a law firm that focuses on media and technology industries, said the complaint was subject to challenge on a number of fronts. "But the goal here may be principally to bring public attention back to the issues of performers' rights and the challenges of A.I. in video game production," he said in an email. Inside the World of Video Games 3 Video Games You May Have Missed in April Video Game Reviews of 2025 Create your free account and enjoy unlimited access -- free for 7 days. Start free trial A Frenzied Franchise Takes the Fight Up Close A Spectacular R.P.G. Has Balletic Combat and Powerful Twists With Secrets in Every Room, This Manor Mystery Enthralls Epic did not respond to a request for comment. A union spokeswoman said A.I. use that displaced workers needed to be bargained. "While the union is generally very supportive of employers' use of A.I. as a tool to enhance the audience experience, employers cannot implement use of such tools without involving the union first," the spokeswoman said in a statement. "If they fail to do so, the union will seek to hold them accountable." The union said in a news release that it celebrated the right of estates to control the use of digital replicas but that it had to protect working actors, including those who had previously matched Darth Vader's voice in video games. When Fortnite players talk with Darth Vader, their audio is sent to Gemini, a conversation chatbot created by Google, to generate a response from the character, Epic says on its website. After clips of Darth Vader cursing and using inappropriate phrases circulated on social media, Epic said it had issued a fix to prevent such occurrences. The Jones family said the actor's voice was inseparable from the "Star Wars" story. "He always wanted fans of all ages to continue to experience it," it said in a statement. "We hope that this collaboration with Fortnite will allow both longtime fans of Darth Vader and newer generations to share in the enjoyment of this iconic character." Whether the union's complaint will be successful remains to be seen. But William Watson, a professor of learning design and technology at Purdue University, said that now was the time to have this fight. "If you look at social media and tech companies, it's very clear that society cannot trust them to be making decisions outside of their best interests," he said, pointing to the number of times that Meta has been accused of using features that hook children to its platform. He likened the moment to Pandora's box. "Before we open it, we need to understand what sort of guardrails we need put in place, both in terms of ethics of the algorithms and in terms of displacement of people's jobs and careers," Watson said. "That's certainly coming down the line across all sorts of industries. But ultimately, A.I. is here to augment what we as humans can do, not just be a detrimental force and replacing people."

SAG-AFTRA Calls Out 'Fortnite' Over Darth Vader AI Voice

Surprisingly, the issue has nothing to do with what the character is being made to say in the game. Imagine having the ability to make Darth Vader, Star Wars' most eloquent villain, say whatever you want him to say. Fortnite players have been having a blast doing just that since the feature was introduced. But now there's controversy attached to this new iteration of the iconic character -- and it has nothing to do with him uttering too many f-bombs. Instead, it has to do with SAG-AFTRA's prescribed procedure on the use of AI voices. In a post last week on Fortnite's website announcing that players can now "strategize with the ultimate Sith Lord ... and he'll respond back using conversational AI," Epic Games is careful to note that this was only made possible by the express permission of the late, great James Earl Jones' estate. "James Earl felt that the voice of Darth Vader was inseparable from the story of Star Wars, and he always wanted fans of all ages to continue to experience it," reads a statement attributed to Jones' family. "We hope that this collaboration with Fortnite will allow both longtime fans of Darth Vader and newer generations to share in the enjoyment of this iconic character." Talking directly to Darth Vader -- he's now a boss in Battle Royale, swapping in for the Samurai Vader that has been a part of the game's ongoing Star Wars event -- is indeed a cool opportunity for fans of Jones and Star Wars alike. But actors' union SAG-AFTRA, which famously foregrounded the use of AI as one of its key issues during the 2023 industry strikes, is now saying Fortnite didn't go through the proper channels before adding Darth Vader's AI voice to the game. The union has now filed an unfair labor practice charge (link to the PDF is on the SAG-AFTRA website) that calls out "Fortnite's signatory company, Llama Productions" for "[replacing] the work of human performers with AI technology" without "providing any notice of their intent to do this and without bargaining with us over appropriate terms." The union notes that it's not against the general idea here: "We celebrate the right of our members and their estates to control the use of their digital replicas and welcome the use of new technologies to allow new generations to share in the enjoyment of those legacies and renowned roles." The problem is that the AI being used here makes human voice actors obsolete, and "we must protect our right to bargain terms and conditions around uses of voice that replace the work of our members, including those who previously did the work of matching Darth Vader's iconic rhythm and tone in video games." So far there's been no response from Epic Games on the filing. The Hollywood Reporter notes that despite the SAG-AFTRA's still-ongoing Interactive Media Agreement strike, which has been stuck for months on negotiating "AI protections for voice actors in video games," actors can actually work on Fortnite without violating the strike, since the game falls under an exception for titles that were in production before August 2023.

Fortnite maker charged with unfair labor practice over AI Darth Vader

The Screen Actors Guild - American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) has been lobbying for better labor conditions, including protections against haphazard generative artificial intelligence, since July 2024. The stakes are high: modern technology makes it possible to faithfully reproduce the likeness, image and auditory characteristics of any actor without input, compensation, or transparency. And so, when one of the biggest games in the world launches an experimental character voiced by an AI recreation of one of the most recognizable talents in pop culture, the group was bound to take notice.

Screen Actors Guild Files Charges Against Epic Games Subsidiary Over AI Darth Vader

The complaint highlights the guild's ongoing battle over AI in the entertainment industry. The Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, or SAG-AFTRA, filed a labor complaint against Llama Productions, a subsidiary of Epic Games, on Monday. The complaint accuses the company of replacing voice actors with artificial intelligence without union consent. The move follows public backlash last week over an AI-generated Darth Vader character in the popular video game Fortnite that used racial slurs and offensive language. SAG-AFTRA alleges Llama Productions used AI to create the Darth Vader character in Fortnite's crossover event, "Galactic Battles." They did so without notifying or negotiating with the union, violating labor agreements, the complaint alleges. "We became aware when the press release hit the wires," a SAG-AFTRA spokesperson told Decrypt. A labor relations board charge, also known as an unfair labor practice charge, is a complaint that claims an employer or union has violated labor relations law. SAG-AFTRA maintains that its involvement is essential in any decision to replace human work with AI. "This charge concerns the union's critical role in negotiating terms concerning the replacement of bargaining unit work with AI technology," the spokesperson said. "We are very supportive of AI tools to enhance the audience experience, but employers cannot implement these types of uses without coming to the union first and bargaining terms." According to the SAG-AFTRA spokesperson, the union did not approach Epic Games before filing the charges, and the Fortnite developer has not yet responded. Epic Games did not immediately respond to Decrypt's request for comment. The union is asking the NLRB to issue a formal complaint, citing Llama Productions' alleged failure to bargain in good faith. "Within the past six months, the Employer, by its agents and representatives, failed and refused to bargain in good faith with the union by making unilateral changes to terms and conditions of employment, without providing notice to the union or the opportunity to bargain, by utilizing AI-generated voices to replace bargaining unit work on the interactive program Fortnite," the attorneys for SAG-AFTRA wrote. If a violation is found, Llama Productions could be required to reinstate affected employees and provide back pay. The board may also order the company to post notices informing workers of their rights and the case outcome. The agency does not impose fines or punitive penalties. The complaint comes amid broader action by SAG-AFTRA voice actors, who have been on strike since July 2024. AI use in game development is emerging as a key point of contention. It is unclear how the SAG-AFTRA complaint will affect productions that use the licensed voices of actors who have already passed away. Before he died in 2024, iconic actor James Earl Jones, who voiced Darth Vader, licensed his voice to Lucasfilm. The agreement allows the creator of Star Wars to use Jones' voice in future projects. Other actors whose estates have licensed their voices to AI developers include Judy Garland, Jimmy Stewart, James Dean, and Grateful Dead frontman Jerry Garcia. While the guild said it celebrates the rights of its members and their estates to control the use of their "digital replicas," it added that rights to bargaining terms must be "protected," including those who previously worked on "matching Darth Vader's iconic rhythm and tone in video games."

SAG-AFTRA files unfair labour practice charge against Fortnite maker Epic, following AI-generated Darth Vader voice lines

SAG-AFTRA has filed an unfair labour practice charge against Fortnite maker Epic, following its use of AI to recreate James Earl Jones' voice for Darth Vader. Prior to his death, actor Jones - who along with Darth Vader also lent his vocal stylings to Disney's The Lion King as Mufasa - gave permission for his voice to be replicated using AI, and technology was used to generate Vader's voice in the Disney+ show Obi-Wan Kenobi. Jones' AI-powered voice as the Star Wars Sith Lord then cropped up again last week, this time in Fortnite, where players could chat with Darth Vader via Epic's online game. The AI-generated voice used in Fortnite arrived with permission from Jones' family, who said they hoped the collaboration with Epic would "allow both longtime fans of Darth Vader and newer generations to share in the enjoyment of this iconic character". However, soon players began using the technology to get Darth to cuss, resulting in Epic swiftly issuing a hotfix to stop this from happening. Now, American actors' union SAG-AFTRA - which represents 160,000 American media professionals, including voiceover artists - has filed an unfair labour practice charge with the NLRB against Llama Productions, which is wholly owned by Epic Games. The union stated the company "chose to replace the work of human performers with AI technology... without providing any notice of their intent to do this and without bargaining with us over appropriate terms". In a statement shared last night, SAG-AFTRA said it "[celebrates] the right of our members and their estates to control the use of their digital replicas", and that it welcomes " the use of new technologies to allow new generations to share in the enjoyment of those legacies and renowned roles". However, the organisation believes it must still protect its "right to bargain terms and conditions around uses of voice that replace the work of our members". It noted this includes actors who have also worked to replicate "Darth Vader's iconic rhythm and tone in video games". In its filing - which you can read here - SAG-AFTRA said Llama Productions via Epic "failed and refused to bargain in good faith with the union", and it did this by "making unilateral changes to terms and conditions of employment, without providing notice to the union or the opportunity to bargain, by utilising AI-generated voices to replace bargaining unit work" for Fortnite. Eurogamer has reached out to Epic for comment on SAG-AFTRA's filing. Actors from SAG-AFTRA have been on strike since July, as the union negotiates with various video game companies on the Interactive Media Agreement. AI has been one of the biggest sticking points of the strikes. Earlier this year, Mass Effect voice actor Jennifer Hale spoke to Eurogamer about why the strike remains ongoing. "It's a huge issue for all of us and the repercussions are vast," she said. "So to me, it makes sense that everyone needs to take their time. As performers - and we saw this in the writers strike and the theatrical contract strike - we're just the canary in the coal mine."

Actors' union sues Fortnite over AI Darth Vader

Los Angeles (United States) (AFP) - An actors' union is suing the makers of the Fortnite video game over the use of AI to create an interactive Darth Vader, it said Monday. Fortnite announced last week it had got permission from the family of James Earl Jones to make a chatty "Star Wars" villain based on the late actor's voice work in the smash hit space opera series. Using AI models, developer Epic Games introduced the Emperor's consigliere into Battle Royale, a player-versus-player version of Fortnite in which squads form to defeat other contestants online. Users were quick to adopt the Sith Lord on their missions, posting clips of their interactions with one of cinema's most famous bad guys. Many delighted in the character's apparent wit, laughing as he tells them off for poor technique, or suggesting that they are cheating. "The empire has no need for fast food," he chides one player who asks what his McDonald's order would be. "If I were forced to endure such a culinary experience, I would take a Chicken Selects Meal with large fries and a Coca-Cola drink." But actors' union SAG-AFTRA was not amused, claiming the use of AI in video games puts performers out of work. "We celebrate the right of our members and their estates to control the use of their digital replicas and welcome the use of new technologies," a statement said Monday. "However, we must protect our right to bargain terms and conditions around uses of voice that replace the work of our members, including those who previously did the work of matching Darth Vader's iconic rhythm and tone in video games." The union, which says it represents around 160,000 people, says Epic's subsidiary did not talk to its negotiators over how AI would be used in the game. SAG-AFTRA said it had filed a claim for unfair labor practice with the National Labor Relations Board, a federal agency that protects workers' rights to organize and to negotiate. Epic Games did not immediately respond to AFP's queries, but a statement released last week cited Jones's family saying they were pleased with the project. "We hope that this collaboration with Fortnite will allow both longtime fans of Darth Vader and newer generations to share in the enjoyment of this iconic character," the family said. Performers have become concerned about the use of artificial intelligence in films, TV and video games. Improving technology makes it increasingly possible to digitally recreate the audio and visual likeness of an actor. The strikes that crippled Hollywood in 2023 stemmed in part from fears that studios would seek to use digital models to replace human performers and creators. Video game actors began their own strike against major players in the sector in July 2024.

Fortnite's foul-mouthed AI Darth Vader angers fans and SAG-AFTRA

Online video game platform Fortnite has added an AI-powered Darth Vader NPC to the game, one which uses the voice of late actor James Earl Jones. And the reaction has been far from positive. "Strategise with the ultimate Sith Lord. With your voice. And he'll respond back using conversational AI," reads a statement from Epic Games. "Darth Vader has touched down once again as a boss in Battle Royale. Ask him all your pressing questions about the Force, the Galactic Empire... or you know, a good strat for the last Storm circle. The Sith Lord has opinions." Epic Games added that Darth Vader "wouldn't be nearly as sinister without the legendary performance of James Earl Jones," who voiced Vader in the Star Wars films. They also shared a statement from Jones' family: "James Earl felt that the voice of Darth Vader was inseparable from the story of Star Wars, and he always wanted fans of all ages to continue to experience it. We hope that this collaboration with Fortnite will allow both longtime fans of Darth Vader and newer generations to share in the enjoyment of this iconic character." But fans aren't having any of it. "It doesn't matter if the family thinks it's cool or not, it's still disturbing to use a dead man's voice for your kid's shooter," wrote one fan on Reddit. Another queried: "Do you really think resurrecting dead people for monetary profit is going to stop here, especially with Disney?", while a fan added: "I will not partake in the act of Digital Necromancy and I will openly judge everyone who does. Shame on you all." Problematically - and depressing in its predictability - as soon as Darth Vader was added into the game, players were getting the character to say the word "fuck" and use homophobic slurs. "This is really disappointing. I wasn't a big fan of a Star Wars season but throwing AI into the mix is absolutely butchering any excitement I might have had for the future of Fortnite. I hope this feature leaves and never comes back," wrote a player on Reddit. Adding to the backlash is Hollywood's actors' union, who have filed an unfair labor practice charge against Llama Productions on Monday, alleging the company replaced actors' work by using artificial intelligence to generate Darth Vader's voice in Fortnite without notice. The Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists said Llama Productions, a subsidiary of gaming giant Epic Games, "failed and refused to bargain in good faith with the union" in the last six months. The company made unilateral changes to the terms and conditions of employment "without providing notice to the union or the opportunity to bargain" by using AI-generated voices to replace bargaining unit work, SAG-AFTRA said. In a statement, SAG-AFTRA said the union supports the rights of members and their estates to control the use of their digital replicas. "However, we must protect our right to bargain terms and conditions around uses of voice that replace the work of our members, including those who previously did the work of matching Darth Vader's iconic rhythm and tone in video games," the union said.

SAG-AFTRA files unfair labor practice charge over use of AI to make Darth Vader's voice in Fortnite

LOS ANGELES (AP) -- Hollywood's actors' union filed an unfair labor practice charge against Llama Productions on Monday, alleging the company replaced actors' work by using artificial intelligence to generate Darth Vader's voice in Fortnite without notice. The Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists said Llama Productions, a subsidiary of gaming giant Epic Games, "failed and refused to bargain in good faith with the union" in the last six months. The company made unilateral changes to the terms and conditions of employment "without providing notice to the union or the opportunity to bargain" by using AI-generated voices to replace bargaining unit work, SAG-AFTRA said. Epic Games did not immediately respond to a request for comment. SAG-AFTRA called a strike against major game companies in July after more than a year of negotiations around the union's interactive media agreement broke down over concerns around the use of unregulated artificial intelligence. In a statement, SAG-AFTRA said the union supports the rights of members and their estates to control the use of their digital replicas. "However, we must protect our right to bargain terms and conditions around uses of voice that replace the work of our members, including those who previously did the work of matching Darth Vader's iconic rhythm and tone in video games," the union said.

Fortnite's Darth Vader is AI-powered. Voice actors are rebelling

Months after the death of James Earl Jones, the booming voice of Darth Vader, Fortnite players are having in-game conversations with the "Star Wars" villain about being a Jedi and his conflict with Obi-Wan Kenobi. Sometimes his responses have been witty: "I sense no connection to the force within you." Others were comedic, with Darth Vader telling one curious player that lightsabers were weapons, "not gardening tools." Thank -- or blame -- artificial intelligence. A few years before Jones died, he agreed to let AI learn from archival recordings of his vocal performance, and his estate has publicly supported the actor's presence in Fortnite. But the new collaboration has been contentious because of a larger battle over AI that has led actors to strike against video game companies for more than nine months. SAG-AFTRA, the union representing tens of thousands of actors, filed an unfair labor practice charge Monday that said the use of AI to generate Jones' voice in Fortnite had violated the union's right to negotiate changes to its bargaining agreement. The charge, which was filed with the National Labor Relations Board, accuses Llama Productions, a subsidiary of Epic Games, of "making unilateral changes to terms and conditions of employment" without providing notice to the union or allowing the opportunity to bargain. David Hoppe, a managing partner at Gamma Law, a law firm that focuses on media and technology industries, said the complaint was subject to challenge on a number of fronts. "But the goal here may be principally to bring public attention back to the issues of performers' rights and the challenges of A.I. in video game production," he said in an email. Epic did not respond to a request for comment. A union spokesperson said AI use that displaced workers needed to be bargained. "While the union is generally very supportive of employers' use of A.I. as a tool to enhance the audience experience, employers cannot implement use of such tools without involving the union first," the spokesperson said in a statement. "If they fail to do so, the union will seek to hold them accountable." The union said in a news release that it celebrated the right of estates to control the use of digital replicas but that it had to protect working actors, including those who had previously matched Darth Vader's voice in video games. When Fortnite players talk with Darth Vader, their audio is sent to Gemini, a conversation chatbot created by Google, to generate a response from the character, Epic says on its website. After clips of Darth Vader cursing and using inappropriate phrases circulated on social media, Epic said it had issued a fix to prevent such occurrences. The Jones family said the actor's voice was inseparable from the "Star Wars" story. "He always wanted fans of all ages to continue to experience it," the family said in a statement. "We hope that this collaboration with Fortnite will allow both longtime fans of Darth Vader and newer generations to share in the enjoyment of this iconic character." Whether the union's complaint will be successful remains to be seen. But William Watson, a professor of learning design and technology at Purdue University, said that now was the time to have this fight. "If you look at social media and tech companies, it's very clear that society cannot trust them to be making decisions outside of their best interests," he said, pointing to the number of times that Meta has been accused of using features that hook children to its platform. He likened the moment to Pandora's box. "Before we open it, we need to understand what sort of guardrails we need put in place, both in terms of ethics of the algorithms and in terms of displacement of people's jobs and careers," Watson said. "That's certainly coming down the line across all sorts of industries. But ultimately, AI is here to augment what we as humans can do, not just be a detrimental force and replacing people."

SAG-AFTRA Files Unfair Labor Practice Charge Over Use of AI to Make Darth Vader's Voice in Fortnite

LOS ANGELES (AP) -- Hollywood's actors' union filed an unfair labor practice charge against Llama Productions on Monday, alleging the company replaced actors' work by using artificial intelligence to generate Darth Vader's voice in Fortnite without notice. The Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists said Llama Productions, a subsidiary of gaming giant Epic Games, "failed and refused to bargain in good faith with the union" in the last six months. The company made unilateral changes to the terms and conditions of employment "without providing notice to the union or the opportunity to bargain" by using AI-generated voices to replace bargaining unit work, SAG-AFTRA said. Epic Games did not immediately respond to a request for comment. SAG-AFTRA called a strike against major game companies in July after more than a year of negotiations around the union's interactive media agreement broke down over concerns around the use of unregulated artificial intelligence. In a statement, SAG-AFTRA said the union supports the rights of members and their estates to control the use of their digital replicas. "However, we must protect our right to bargain terms and conditions around uses of voice that replace the work of our members, including those who previously did the work of matching Darth Vader's iconic rhythm and tone in video games," the union said. Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Fortnite In Legal Trouble After Adding AI Darth Vader

SAG-AFTRA, the massive actors and media union with over 160,000 members, has filed an unfair labor practice charge with the National Labor Relations Board against Epic Games over its inclusion of an AI-powered Darth Vader in a recent Fortnite update. You might have heard about the AI-powered Darth Vader that was added to Epic's popular battle royale game last week as part of an ongoing Star Wars-themed season. Players could talk to this AI-powered Vader and ask him questions. The AI character's voice was designed to mimic that of the late James Earl Jones and was done with his and his estate's permission. Pretty quickly after he was added to the game, players got him to say slurs, swears, and other questionable stuff. Epic patched him up and seems to have gotten the Sith Lord under control. But now the developer is in hot water with one of the largest media unions in the country because it included this AI-powered Vader without first communicating or bargaining with SAG-AFTRA. On May 19, as reported by Eurogamer, SAG-AFTRA announced that it had filed an unfair labor practice charge against Epic Games and its subsidiary, Llama Productions. "We celebrate the right of our members and their estates to control the use of their digital replicas and welcome the use of new technologies to allow new generations to share in the enjoyment of those legacies and renowned roles," said SAG-AFTRA in a statement. "However, we must protect our right to bargain terms and conditions around uses of voice that replace the work of our members, including those who previously did the work of matching Darth Vader's iconic rhythm and tone in video games." SAG-AFTRA says that Epic and Llama Productions "chose to replace the work of human performers with A.I." and did so without "providing any notice of their intent to do this" and without allowing the union to bargain over fair terms. SAG-AFTRA voice actors are currently on strike against large video game companies including EA and Activision over various issues. The strike started in 2024. One of the big ones is more protection against AI copies, like Darth Vader in Fortnite.

Fortnite's Darth Vader is AI-powered. Voice actors are rebelling.

Following James Earl Jones' death, Fortnite used AI to recreate Darth Vader's voice, sparking backlash from actors' union SAG-AFTRA. The union filed a labour complaint against Epic Games, citing lack of negotiation. While Jones' estate supports the project, concerns over AI's impact on performers' rights and job displacement continue to growMonths after the death of James Earl Jones, the booming voice of Darth Vader, Fortnite players are having in-game conversations with the "Star Wars" villain about being a Jedi and his conflict with Obi-Wan Kenobi. Sometimes his responses have been witty: "I sense no connection to the force within you." Others were comedic, with Darth Vader telling one curious player that lightsabers were weapons, "not gardening tools." Thank -- or blame -- artificial intelligence. A few years before Jones died, he agreed to let AI learn from archival recordings of his vocal performance, and his estate has publicly supported the actor's presence in Fortnite. But the new collaboration has been contentious because of a larger battle over AI that has led actors to strike against video game companies for more than nine months. SAG-AFTRA, the union representing tens of thousands of actors, filed an unfair labour practice charge Monday that said the use of AI to generate Jones' voice in Fortnite had violated the union's right to negotiate changes to its bargaining agreement. The charge, which was filed with the National Labour Relations Board, accuses Llama Productions, a subsidiary of Epic Games, of "making unilateral changes to terms and conditions of employment" without providing notice to the union or allowing the opportunity to bargain. David Hoppe, a managing partner at Gamma Law, a law firm that focuses on media and technology industries, said the complaint was subject to challenge on a number of fronts. "But the goal here may be principally to bring public attention back to the issues of performers' rights and the challenges of A.I. in video game production," he said in an email. Epic did not respond to a request for comment. A union spokesperson said AI use that displaced workers needed to be bargained. "While the union is generally very supportive of employers' use of A.I. as a tool to enhance the audience experience, employers cannot implement use of such tools without involving the union first," the spokesperson said in a statement. "If they fail to do so, the union will seek to hold them accountable." The union said in a news release that it celebrated the right of estates to control the use of digital replicas but that it had to protect working actors, including those who had previously matched Darth Vader's voice in video games. When Fortnite players talk with Darth Vader, their audio is sent to Gemini, a conversation chatbot created by Google, to generate a response from the character, Epic says on its website. After clips of Darth Vader cursing and using inappropriate phrases circulated on social media, Epic said it had issued a fix to prevent such occurrences. The Jones family said the actor's voice was inseparable from the "Star Wars" story. "He always wanted fans of all ages to continue to experience it," it said in a statement. "We hope that this collaboration with Fortnite will allow both long-time fans of Darth Vader and newer generations to share in the enjoyment of this iconic character." Whether the union's complaint will be successful remains to be seen. But William Watson, a professor of learning design and technology at Purdue University, said that now was the time to have this fight. "If you look at social media and tech companies, it's very clear that society cannot trust them to be making decisions outside of their best interests," he said, pointing to the number of times that Meta has been accused of using features that hook children to its platform. He likened the moment to Pandora's box. "Before we open it, we need to understand what sort of guardrails we need put in place, both in terms of ethics of the algorithms and in terms of displacement of people's jobs and careers," Watson said. "That's certainly coming down the line across all sorts of industries. But ultimately, AI is here to augment what we as humans can do, not just be a detrimental force and replacing people."

SAG-AFTRA to take on Fortnite over AI Darth Vader voice

The feature was added to the battle royale last week and now the performer's union wants heads to roll. One of the major reasons why SAG-AFTRA committed to a massive strike affecting the film and TV space a couple of years ago, one still affecting the video game sector, was down to the growing usage of artificial intelligence in creative works. The performer's union wanted better protection and those in charge were always sceptical to offer it. But they got their way in the end and protective measures were installed in film and TV. But the gaming landscape is still the Wild West. Lately we've seen AI being used to bring Darth Vader to Fortnite, a move that enables players to speak to the Sith Lord and for it answer in an AI-powered voice resembling James Earl Jones' famed character. Needless to say, SAG-AFTRA are not happy and already they have launched an unfair labour practice charge against Epic Games' signatory company Llama Productions for the use of AI in this case. The filing states: "Within the past six months, the Employer, by its agents and representatives, failed and refused to bargain in good faith with the union by making unilateral changes to terms and conditions of employment, without providing notice to the union or the opportunity to bargain, by utilizing AI-generated voices to replace bargaining unit work on the Interactive Program Fortnite." SAG-AFTRA's website also goes a step further to explain the union's discontent with the AI implementation, explaining that "we must protect our right to bargain terms and conditions around uses of voice that replace the work of our members, including those who previously did the work of matching Darth Vader's iconic rhythm and tone in video games." The statement signs off with: "Fortnite's signatory company, Llama Productions, chose to replace the work of human performers with A.I. technology. Unfortunately, they did so without providing any notice of their intent to do this and without bargaining with us over appropriate terms." It's unclear if anything significant will come of this, but one thing that is for certain is that Epic seems to enjoy spending time in courtrooms as of late...

SAG-AFTRA Files Unfair Labor Practice Charge Over AI Darth Vader In Fortnite

SAG-AFTRA has filed an unfair labor practice charge against Llama Productions, the signatory company that Epic worked with on Fortnite's AI-voiced Darth Vader. The charge isn't being laid simply because Llama Productions used AI. Prior to his passing, James Earl Jones, the original voice for Darth Vader and a litany of other iconic roles, signed a deal with Respeecher to allow his archived voice-over work to be used in cases like this. The charge from SAG-AFTRA comes from how Llama Productions went about using an AI version of Jones' voice. SAG-AFTRA is placing the charge because Llama Productions went the AI route "without providing any notice of their intent to do this and without bargaining with us over appropriate terms," the organization says in a statement. "We must protect our right to bargain terms and conditions around uses of voice that replace the work of our members, including those who previously did the work of matching Darth Vader's iconic rhythm and tone in video games," SAG-AFTRA writes in its statement. In the actual filing, the basis of the charge reads "Within the past six months, the Employer [Llama Productions], by its agents and representatives, failed and refused to bargain in good faith with the union by making unilateral changes to terms and conditions of employment, without providing notice to the union or the opportunity to bargain, by utilizing AI-generated voices to replace bargaining unit work on the Interactive Program Fortnite." So it's not that generative AI was used to voice Darth Vader in Fortnite that SAG-AFTRA has a problem with, it's the fact that Llama Productions, by SAG's claims, completely went around SAG-AFTRA when working with Respeecher and Epic Games to bring the AI-version of James Earl Jones' voice to Fortnite. As far as Jones' family is concerned, when AI Darth Vader was first showcased, his family released the following statement through Epic, saying "James Earl felt that the voice of Darth Vader was inseparable from the story of Star Wars, and he always wanted fans of all ages to continue to experience it. We hope that this collaboration with Fortnite will allow both longtime fans of Darth Vader and newer generations to share in the enjoyment of this iconic character." Hours into AI Darth Vader being in Fortnite, players had been able to make him swear and say offensive slurs. The strike that SAG-AFTRA actors under the Interactive Media Agreement (IMA) called last year is still ongoing, and while it wouldn't have impacted games coming out in 2025 and even games in 2026, it will begin to impact future titles if a deal cannot be reached soon. SAG-AFTRA recently published a rebuttal to the offer put forth by game studios, which, if SAG-AFTRA had signed, would have provided no generative AI protections for any performance that came before this new deal. Something that the union was clearly not going to agree to. If this is where negotiations are sitting, then it could be a long while before a deal is reached.

SAG-AFTRA Slams Epic Games over Fortnite's AI Darth Vader

The case marks another flashpoint in the ongoing clash between AI and creative labor. Epic Games is under fire from SAG-AFTRA after using AI to replicate Darth Vader's voice in Fortnite. The union says the iconic voice was generated without hiring a voice actor or securing union sign-off, raising serious ethical and legal concerns. "This is exactly the kind of situation we've been warning about," a SAG-AFTRA spokesperson said. "Studios using AI to replace union performers sets a dangerous precedent for the industry." The Vader voice appears in Fortnite's latest Star Wars content, where players can interact with the iconic Sith Lord during in-game events. After completing a boss fight, you can talk to the Darth Vader AI, letting you converse with it like a normal human being. Rather than bring in a licensed voice actor, Epic reportedly used AI trained on archival audio to recreate the performance. The tech may be exciting on the surface level, but the union says the decision undermines the core values of fair pay and proper credit. SAG-AFTRA says this isn't just about one character or game. They are worried about the creeping use of AI as a shortcut around human labor. The union's complaint claims Epic failed to consult or bargain with performers, which they see as a clear violation of labor rules. The concern isn't just economic, but existential. If studios can generate voice performances without involving actors, what's stopping them from bypassing artists entirely? This dispute hits at the heart of recent industry tensions. In 2023, SAG-AFTRA struck deals with several studios around AI voice work, with guardrails in place. But Fortnite's use of AI Vader pushes into murky territory. James Earl Jones, the late actor, who died in 2024, signed a voice rights deal before his death. However, the complaint is not about the technical usage of the voice. In Fortnite, Darth Vader returned as a boss for the new Star Wars season. The in-game AI character uses Google's Gemini 2.0 to generate dialogue and relies on ElevenLabs' Flash v2.5 model to deliver real-time voice responses. The model is trained on archived recordings of the late James Earl Jones. In the NLRB filing, SAG-AFTRA mentioned that Llama Productions "failed and refused to bargain in good faith with the union by making unilateral changes to terms and conditions of employment, without providing notice to the union or the opportunity to bargain, by utilizing AI-generated voices to replace bargaining unit work on the Interactive Program Fortnite." The union is making it clear: using AI to resurrect voices without clear agreements digitally is a red line. The gaming world adopts synthetic performances as a technical achievement, but labor groups view them as a threat that could reshape how the industry values talent in the age of AI. What do you think about SAG-AFTRA going after Fortnite for the Darth Vader AI? Tell us in the comments below.

SAG-AFTRA Files Unfair Labor Practice Charge Over Darth Vader AI Voice in 'Fortnite'

VFX Workers Behind Marvel, Disney and 'Avatar' Ratify First Labor Contracts SAG-AFTRA has filed an unfair labor practice charge against Fortnite's production company, alleging that its use of an AI-powered James Earl Jones Darth Vader voice infringes on the union's right to negotiate major changes to its collective bargaining agreement. The union claimed that a signatory to its collective bargaining agreement, Llama Productions, made "unilateral" changes to terms and conditions of employment when Fortnite began employing the use of an AI-powered Vader voice starting Friday without giving the union notice or the ability to negotiate. In its filing to the National Labor Relations Board on Monday, SAG-AFTRA argued that using this generative AI voice essentially displaces "bargaining unit work" -- suggesting that actors could have been employed to play the Star Wars character -- for the massively popular games platform. The Hollywood Reporter has reached out to Epic Games, which publishes Fortnite and is the owner of Llama Productions, for comment. SAG-AFTRA members are not currently forbidden from working on Fortnite during the union's ongoing Interactive Media Agreement strike, which hinges on AI protections for voice actors in video games. A sideletter in the union's contract allows performers to work during a strike on particular titles that were in production prior to a certain date; in this case, titles that were in development before August 2023, as Fortnite was. The Walt Disney Co. and Epic Games announced that Fortnite players would be able to recruit and chat with the Darth Vader on Friday. The use of the iconic voice of Jones, who died last year, was done in "close consultation" with the actor's estate, the companies said in a blog post. "Ask him all your pressing questions about the Force, the Galactic Empire ... or you know, a good strat for the last Storm circle. The Sith Lord has opinions," the post added. In a statement about its unfair labor practice charge, SAG-AFTRA stated that it celebrated "the right of our members and their estates to control the use of their digital replicas." Still, "we must protect our right to bargain terms and conditions around uses of voice that replace the work of our members, including those who previously did the work of matching Darth Vader's iconic rhythm and tone in video games," the union added.

Fortnight's AI Darth Vadar controversy is about getting a fair deal for performers

Here's why SAG-AFTRA has lodged a complaint against Epic Games. Not one but two Star Wars AI controversies within a week? First Lucasfilm itself was touting some objectively terrible AI video generation in Star Wars Field Report as the future of VFX. Now Fortnite's being criticised over its AI-voiced Darth Vadar. The Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) has filed an unfair labour complaint over Fortnite's use of AI to recreate the voice of the late actor James Earl Jones after the Sith lord returned to the game as a Battle Royale boss. The actors union accuses Epic Games' Llama Productions of choosing to "replace the work of human performers with AI technology". It adds: "Unfortunately, they did so without providing any notice of their intent to do this and without bargaining with us over appropriate terms." Jones, who died last year at the age of 93, signed an agreement to allow recordings to be used to recreate his voice for future Lucasfilm projects, and his family granted permission for its use in Fortnite. But SAG-AFTRA says Fortnite's use of the AI-generated voice was not approved by the union. It said: "We celebrate the right of our members and their estates to control the use of their digital replicas and welcome the use of new technologies to allow new generations to share in the enjoyment of those legacies and renowned roles. However, we must protect our right to bargain terms and conditions around uses of voice that replace the work of our members, including those who previously did the work of matching Darth Vader's iconic rhythm and tone in video games." The issue at stake is not this individual case, but the principles behind the use of AI voice replicas for living performers at a moment where actors remain on strike against a number of game companies, including Llama. Last week, developers made a final offer that makes some concessions, including dropping the option of one-time payment for unlimited pre-generated content in a game. That would mean that actors who agree to AI-generated digital replicas would receive payment similar to how they would if they provided all original performances. At the time of writing, Epic Games, which develops Fortnite, had not issued a response to the complaint, but the dispute highlights the intricacies of ongoing ethical, legal and professional issues around the use of generative AI in game design.

Voice Actor Union Files Unfair Labor Practice Charge Over Fortnite's AI Darth Vader - IGN

The Screen Actors Guild - American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) is filing an unfair labor practice charge with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) against Epic Games, after the company implemented an AI-voiced Darth Vader NPC in Fortnite last week. The complaint, which can be viewed here, alleges that over the last six months, Llama Productions (owned by Epic Games) has failed to bargain in good faith with SAG-AFTRA's video game actors and has made "unilateral changes to terms and conditions of employment, without providing notice to the union or the opportunity to bargain, by utilizing AI-generated voices to replace bargaining unit work" on Fortnite. Fortnite added the AI Darth Vader last week, as an NPC character that can join or leave your Fortnite squad and have conversations with players over voice chat in the persona of Darth Vader. Though the AI Darth Vader has been programmed to offer support for individuals who express they might be struggling with mental health, Epic Games also had to patch it almost immediately after it launched to keep it from dropping F-bombs. The character of Darth Vader was originally voiced by James Earl Jones, who passed away in September of last year at the age of 93. This AI recreation was done with the blessing of James Earl Jones' estate, with his family stating that: "James Earl felt that the voice of Darth Vader was inseparable from the story of Star Wars, and he always wanted fans of all ages to continue to experience it. We hope that this collaboration with Fortnite will allow both longtime fans of Darth Vader and newer generations to share in the enjoyment of this iconic character." However, the use of AI voices at all by Epic Games presents a major issue for SAG-AFTRA, given its efforts to come to an agreement on a contract for its video game performers over the last year. The video game performing members of the union have been on strike for around 10 months now. The strike was started specifically due to a lack of agreement on AI provisions, even as 24 out of 25 other contract proposals had been affirmed by both sides. Earlier this year, SAG-AFTRA publicly shared a breakdown of the portions of the contract still disagreed upon by both sides, expressing that it was still "frustratingly far apart" on the provisions. In light of this, SAG-AFTRA has issued a statement explaining its unfair labor practice charge against Epic, essentially claiming that Epic's use of AI was undermining the work of human SAG-AFTRA members who have previously or could potentially do work of matching Darth Vader's voice with their own performances. Here's the statement, in full: We celebrate the right of our members and their estates to control the use of their digital replicas and welcome the use of new technologies to allow new generations to share in the enjoyment of those legacies and renowned roles. However, we must protect our right to bargain terms and conditions around uses of voice that replace the work of our members, including those who previously did the work of matching Darth Vader's iconic rhythm and tone in video games. Fortnite's signatory company, Llama Productions, chose to replace the work of human performers with A.I. technology. Unfortunately, they did so without providing any notice of their intent to do this and without bargaining with us over appropriate terms. As such, we have filed an unfair labor practice charge with the NLRB against Llama Productions. With the charge filed, the next step will be a review by the NLRB, potentially followed by an investigation and hearing if the agency believes the charge has merit, or dismissal if the NLRB believes it does not. In the event that it is determined Epic Games has committed an unfair labor practice, the NLRB can force it to remedy the situation in various ways, such as potentially hiring an actor to record a voice for Darth Vader or removing him from the game entirely, or some other penalty. However, these cases often take months or even years to progress, or can be settled outside by the two parties and the charge dropped.