SAG-AFTRA Strikes Deal with AI Company Ethovox Amid Ongoing Video Game Voice Actor Strike

Actors' union SAG-AFTRA's agreement with AI service aims to safeguard performers

SAG-AFTRA, the US actors' union, has signed an agreement with AI service Ethovox in a continued bid to safeguard performers. The service offers a "fully-authenticated foundational AI model for voice" that provides the basis for digital replicas. With this new agreement, SAG-AFTRA aims to ensure performers are protected and will be compensated fairly for their work. Video game performers from the SAG-AFTRA union are currently on strike following a dispute over the use of AI in game development. As the union's chief negotiator Duncan Crabtree-Ireland explained, SAG-AFTRA aims to recognise AI companies to ensure protection for its performers. "What will safeguard voice actors' livelihoods in the AI age is more contractual protection, not less," said Crabtree-Ireland. "That's why SAG-AFTRA will continue to recognize AI companies, like Ethovox, that agree with our union's AI guidelines. Not everyone will want to work with an AI company, and that's understandable. But for those who intend to utilise the opportunities AI offers, it's important that agreements require companies to secure informed consent, and provide fair compensation. Without informed consent and fair compensation, this new era will become a 'Wild West' of AI misuse and exploitation." Ethovox was co-founded by BAFTA award-winning actor Cissy Jones, known for her roles in Firewatch as well as voicing characters in GTA 5, Life is Strange, Baldur's Gate 3, and more. "Ethovox is the only voice AI company owned and managed by voice actors, and we are pleased to be partnering with SAG-AFTRA on building a foundational voice AI model that prioritises the interests of voice actors," she said. "AI should be a choice. For that reason, we have reached out to the voice actor community throughout this process. Ethovox will continue to do so as we demonstrate that artists can, and should, be compensated for contributing to ethical AI development while also maintaining consent and control over their voice data." Voice actors have overall been sceptical of AI usage. Last month, Mass Effect and Metal Gear Solid actor Jennifer Hale described AI as a hammer that can "smash your skin and destroy who you are". UK actors' union Equity has not authorised its own equivalent strike, but said it stands "in solidarity" with its sister union. This is partly due to the restrictive nature of UK industrial relations legislation.

SAG-AFTRA Strikes Deal With Ethovox on AI Voice Protections - IGN

The Screen Actors Guild - American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) has announced it has reached a deal with voice AI company Ethovox on protections for SAG-AFTRA members who choose to make digital replicas of their voices. SAG-AFTRA announced via a press release it has signed a contract with Ethovox that met the union's guidelines for AI voice use. The union has discussed requirements such as performer consent and notification and fair pay for use as being necessary in its AI agreements. SAG-AFTRA has previously struck a similar deal with AI technology company Replica Studios, though at the time it was questioned by some of the union's membership. At the time, SAG-AFTRA clarified that the union's goal was never to ban AI replicas entirely, as some of its membership actively wanted to earn money by using their voice to train such technology. Instead, the union sought to work with companies to ensure actors who didn't want to work with AI were protected from their work being used without their consent, while actors who were interested in the technology could use it consensually and with fair compensation. That seems to be what's happening here with Ethovox, which SAG-AFTRA notes is "owned and managed by voice actors" Cissy Jones and Julian Kwasneski. Though exact details of the contract were not shared, SAG-AFTRA said it "provides both session fees and ongoing revenue sharing for the life of the foundational model". "What will safeguard voice actors' livelihoods in the AI age is more contractual protection, not less," said SAG-AFTRA national executive director Duncan Crabtree-Ireland. "That's why SAG-AFTRA will continue to recognize AI companies, like Ethovox, that agree with our union's AI guidelines. Not everyone will want to work with an AI company, and that's understandable. But for those who intend to utilize the opportunities AI offers, it's important that agreements require companies to secure informed consent, and provide fair compensation. Without informed consent and fair compensation, this new era will become a 'Wild West' of AI misuse and exploitation." This news comes as SAG-AFTRA video game workers remain on strike over AI protections after negotiations with representatives of triple-A gaming companies stalled out for months. SAG-AFTRA recently announced that negotiations had resumed on October 23, almost a whole year since the two groups last came to the table. However, the strike remains in effect while dates for further negotiations are determined.

Video game voice artists continue strike over AI training

The union says developers won't guarantee not using voices to train AI. There's no sign of a resolution on the issue of AI training based on the performances of voice artists in video games. The Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) has announced that its strike against game developers will continue after it failed to reach an agreement during three days of negotiations. SAG-AFTRA, which represents around 160,000 voice artists and other entertainment professionals, called a strike in July after developers refused to agree to protect members from the use of their likenesses or voices to train artificial intelligence models. It says negotiations with employers including Activision Productions, Blindlight, Disney Character Voices, Electronic Arts Productions, Formosa Interactive, Insomniac Games, Llama Productions, Take 2 Productions and WB Games Inc resumed on 23 October but failed to bear fruit. As a result, it will continue its strike "against all signatories to the Interactive Media Agreement," except for games signed to the Tiered-Budget Independent Interactive Media Agreement or an Interim Interactive Media Agreement. SAG-AFTRA has made some progress with specific companies. Just this week, it announced an agreement with Ethovox on protections and compensation for performers who consent to take part in the training of the company's authenticated foundational AI model for voice. It also reached an agreement with Last Sentinel developer Lightspeed LA on AI protections in its games. Voice artists are just one of the sectors affected by the rise of generative AI in video game design and other creative sectors. But public opinion on the use of AI remains mixed, with many being opposed to the technology. Transport for Ireland recently apologised after it was blasted on social media for using AI-generated images for a Halloween ad campaign. Meanwhile, an autonomous AI artist just made $351,600 at Sotheby's.

Video game strike: UK-based talent back US action over AI

Some video game actors based in the UK have said they wish they could strike in solidarity with their US counterparts. 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 (Gen AI). The two sides have been back at the negotiating table, but there's been no major breakthrough and talks have been extended. While the impact on gamers has so far been limited, partly down to how long it takes to make blockbuster games, it has affected voice talent in the UK.

SAG-AFTRA continues to strike against video game companies

SAG-AFTRA members are still striking against video game companies. The strike began back in July, and saw video game voice actors, character actors, and more join the picket lines to protest the risk of their jobs against the use of AI models. Negotiations with employers including Activision Productions Inc., Blindlight LLC, Disney Character Voices Inc., Electronic Arts Productions Inc., Formosa Interactive LLC, Insomniac Games Inc., Llama Productions LLC, Take 2 Productions Inc., and WB Games Inc. took place on the 23rd of October, and while an agreement wasn't set in stone then, negotiations are expected to resume soon. There's no date given yet in the recent post on SAG-AFTRA's site, but we know that as soon as dates are confirmed, talks can continue. The strikes go on in the meantime, but while negotiations are on the table, at least we can take some sort of positive note from this.