SAG-AFTRA Strike Continues as AI Concerns Remain Unresolved in Video Game Voice Acting
12 Sources
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SAG-AFTRA union and video game industry bargaining group remain at odds as agreements on AI protections still 'frustratingly far apart'
Several English-voiced games still have many major characters unvoiced in recent updates Union SAG-AFTRA (Screen Actors Guild - American Federation of Television and Radio Artists) has created a comparison chart as an update in its ongoing negotiations with the games industry bargaining group. The
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Concerns over AI threaten to extend current video game acting strike
Since July 2024, members of SAG-AFTRA (Screen Actors Guild -- American Federation of Television and Radio Artists) have been on strike regarding the use of their work and likeness in games, and new concerns are poised to extend the strike. A message sent to union members cites "alarming loopholes"
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Zenless Zone Zero voice actors replaced as union negotiation remains 'far apart' on AI protections
Nicole Carpenter is a senior reporter specializing in investigative features about labor issues in the game industry, as well as the business and culture of games. Video game performers have been on strike since July 26, 2024, and negotiations remain "far apart," according to the Screen Actors
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Two Zenless Zone Zero actors lose jobs over AI dispute without notice, finding out alongside players
Two voice actors working on Zenless Zone Zero have been suddenly recast due to the ongoing SAG-AFTRA strike over AI abuse, and discovered the change alongside the publication of the game's patch notes. Emeri Chase, who played Soldier 11, announced they were replaced as they were "unwilling to
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SAG-AFTRA actors' strike set to continue, as union warns of "alarming loopholes" for "AI abuse" in latest proposal
The SAG-AFTRA actors' strike is set to continue, as the union behind the walkout warned of "alarming loopholes" allowing for "AI abuse" in the latest proposal to end the industrial action, suggesting a deal is still far from close. Actors from the US union have been on strike since July last year,
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8 months into their strike, videogame voice actors say the industry's latest proposal is 'filled with alarming loopholes that will leave our members vulnerable to AI abuse'
Progress has been made, but SAG-AFTRA says the two sides in the dispute are still far apart. The SAG-AFTRA union says "progress has been made" in negotiations over the videogame voice and motion capture actors strike that was called in July 2024, but warned that the most recent proposal submitted
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Game Companies Want To Be Able To Replace Actors With AI Replicas In The Next Strike, Union Says
Game actors have been on strike for over a year now, and while they say progress has been made in negotiations with companies like Electronic Arts and Activision Blizzard, they also claim that publishers are refusing to budge on offering meaningful AI protections. A major sticking point in the
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Actors supporting AI protections didn't know they were being replaced in Zenless Zone Zero update 1.6: "I found out the role was recast today alongside all of you"
Zenless Zone Zero update 1.6 arrived yesterday, March 11, and alongside new characters like Anby: Soldier 0 and Pulchra, it brought new English voices and voice actors for two existing characters: Soldier 11 and Von Lycaon. The original actors behind those characters, respectively Emeri Chase and
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Resident Evil and Witcher 3 mocap director says video game industry layoffs have made it so "nothing is guaranteed," but AI won't be replacing real actors "anytime soon"
As the SAG-AFTRA strike continues, union negotiators warn that the latest proposal from the industry is "still filled with alarming loopholes that will leave our members vulnerable to AI abuse" The SAG-AFTRA video game actor strike continues, and one of the key points of the dispute remains
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SAG-AFTRA Video Game Strike: Union Says Latest AI Proposals From Studios Contain "Alarming Loopholes"
Walt Disney Animation Studios Production Workers Ratify First Contract SAG-AFTRA has been on strike against major video game studios for more than seven months, and the two sides don't seem to be particularly close to making a deal. That's the impression that negotiators for the performers' union
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Zenless Zone Zero Voice Actors Say They Found Out They Were Replaced When the Patch Notes Went Live - IGN
Two Zenless Zone Zero voice actors discovered they had been replaced when the game's patch notes went live, they have claimed, in the latest casualty of the battle for generative AI protections. The Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists' (SAG-AFTRA) ongoing
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SAG-AFTRA Says It's Still 'Frustratingly Far Apart' From Games Industry Bargaining Group on AI Protections - IGN
The Screen Actors Guild - American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) has issued an update to its members on the status of negotiations over video game actor AI protections, saying that while progress has been made, it is still "frustratingly far apart" with the industry
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The ongoing SAG-AFTRA strike in the video game industry persists due to unresolved concerns about AI use in voice acting, affecting game productions and leading to actor replacements.
SAG-AFTRA Strike Continues Over AI Concerns in Video Game Voice Acting
The Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) strike, which began in July 2024, continues as negotiations with video game producers remain "frustratingly far apart" on the issue of AI protections for voice actors
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. The union and the games industry bargaining group are at odds over several key issues, particularly the use of artificial intelligence and digital replicas of actors' performances.Key Points of Contention
SAG-AFTRA has outlined several critical concerns in their negotiations:
- Consent: Actors want control over how their recorded performances are used to create AI-generated content
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. - Compensation: Fair payment for the use of actors' voices in AI-generated performances
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. - Control: The ability to track and know where their performances are being used
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The union has warned of "alarming loopholes" in the latest proposal that could leave members vulnerable to "AI abuse"
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. These loopholes include the potential use of past performances without protection, lack of disclosure about AI usage, and the possibility of using AI replicas during future strikes5
.Impact on Game Production
The ongoing strike has affected several popular video games, with major characters remaining unvoiced in recent updates. Games such as Destiny 2, Call of Duty: Black Ops 6, Honkai: Star Rail, and Zenless Zone Zero have been particularly impacted
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.Actor Replacements and Consequences
In a recent development, two voice actors working on Zenless Zone Zero were suddenly recast due to the strike:
- Emeri Chase (Soldier 11): Replaced for refusing to work without a SAG Interim Agreement
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. - Nicholas Thurkettle (Von Lycaon): Recast despite not being a union member, after taking a personal stand for AI protections
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Both actors discovered their replacement alongside players when the game's patch notes were released
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Industry Response and Negotiations
The games industry bargaining group has proposed a deal that includes:
- Wage increases of over 15% for SAG-AFTRA represented performers
- Enhanced health and safety protections
- Terms of use for AI digital replicas in-game
- Additional compensation for using an actor's performance in other games
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However, SAG-AFTRA maintains that these proposals do not adequately address their concerns about AI protections
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.Broader Implications
The strike highlights the growing tension between technological advancements in AI and the protection of performers' rights. As Yuri Lowenthal, the voice of Spider-Man, stated, the issue is not just about the current situation but about the future of the acting profession in the face of AI technology
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.As negotiations continue, the union urges performers to consider the consequences of working with game producers during this time, emphasizing the potential risks of AI misuse and the importance of standing together for better protections
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