Video Game Actors Secure AI Protections in New Contract, Ending 11-Month Strike
10 Sources
[1]
Industry video game actors pass agreement with studios for AI security
LOS ANGELES, July 9 (Reuters) - Hollywood video game voice and motion capture actors signed a new contract with video game studios on Wednesday with a focus on artificial intelligence protections, the actors' union, SAG-AFTRA, said in a press release, ending a near year-long strike. "AI was the
[2]
Striking video game actors are voting on a new contract. Here's what it means for AI in gaming
LOS ANGELES (AP) -- An 11-month strike by video game performers could formally end this week if members ratify a deal that delivers pay raises, control over their likenesses and artificial intelligence protections. The agreement feels "like diamond amounts of pressure suddenly lifted," said Sarah
[3]
Video game actors are voting on a new contract. Here's what it means for AI in gaming
An 11-month strike by video game performers could formally end this week if members ratify a deal that delivers pay raises, control over their likenesses and artificial intelligence protections. The agreement feels "like diamond amounts of pressure suddenly lifted," said Sarah Elmaleh, a voice
[4]
Video game actors are voting on a new contract. Here's what it means for AI in gaming
LOS ANGELES (AP) -- An 11-month strike by video game performers could formally end this week if members ratify a deal that delivers pay raises, control over their likenesses and artificial intelligence protections. The agreement feels "like diamond amounts of pressure suddenly lifted," said Sarah
[5]
Video game performers vote on contract that could end nearly three-year-long battle over AI
LOS ANGELES -- Results from a union member vote on a tentative contract between video game performers and their employers are expected Wednesday evening. If ratified, the contract would formally end a nearly three-year-long effort from Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and
[6]
SAG-AFTRA Video Game Strike Officially Over as Members Ratify Agreement
SAG-AFTRA is putting its video game strike in the rearview mirror. Members of the performers' union have voted overwhelmingly to ratify a labor agreement with major interactive companies that was reached in early June. More than 95 percent of voting members supported the deal in a vote, while less
[7]
Striking video game actors are voting on a new contract. Here's what it means for AI in gaming
LOS ANGELES -- An 11-month strike by video game performers could formally end this week if members ratify a deal that delivers pay raises, control over their likenesses and artificial intelligence protections. The agreement feels "like diamond amounts of pressure suddenly lifted," said Sarah
[8]
Video game performers vote on contract that could end nearly 3-year battle over AI
LOS ANGELES -- Results from a union member vote on a tentative contract between video game performers and their employers are expected Wednesday evening. If ratified, the contract would formally end a nearly three-year effort from Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio
[9]
Video game actors voting on contract that could end almost 3-year AI...
Results from a union member vote on a tentative contract between video game performers and their employers are expected Wednesday evening. If ratified, the contract would formally end a nearly three-year effort from Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists
[10]
Industry video game actors pass agreement with studios for AI security
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) -Hollywood video game voice and motion capture actors signed a new contract with video game studios on Wednesday with a focus on artificial intelligence protections, the actors' union, SAG-AFTRA, said in a press release, ending a near year-long strike. "AI was the centerpiece
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SAG-AFTRA members vote on a new contract for video game performers, potentially ending an 11-month strike. The agreement includes AI protections, pay raises, and control over performers' likenesses.
Strike Ends with New Contract
Video game performers, represented by SAG-AFTRA, are voting on a new contract that could end an 11-month strike against major game studios
1
. The strike, which began in July 2024, focused primarily on securing protections against the unregulated use of artificial intelligence (AI) in the gaming industry2
. The tentative agreement, if ratified, will deliver pay raises, control over performers' likenesses, and AI protections3
.
Source: Reuters
AI Protections at the Forefront
The new contract includes what industry representatives call "industry-leading" AI protections
4
. These provisions address the concerns of voice actors and motion capture artists who feared that AI could replicate their likenesses without consent or fair compensation2
. Key elements of the AI protections include:- Clear restrictions on creating digital replicas
- Requirement for written permission from performers
- Compensation for time spent creating digital replicas
- Usage reports detailing how replicas are used and calculating compensation
3
Sarah Elmaleh, chair of SAG-AFTRA's interactive branch negotiating committee, emphasized the importance of these protections, stating, "We talked a lot about the personal, the way it affects our displacement as workers and just the sustainability of our careers"
2
.Compensation and Other Benefits
The proposed contract offers significant financial benefits to performers:
- Over 15% increase in compensation upon ratification
- Additional 3% increase each year of the three-year contract
1
The agreement also includes improved safety measures for motion capture performers, including the availability of medics during high-risk jobs
1
.
Source: New York Post
Impact on the Gaming Industry
The strike affected several major game studios, including Activision Productions, Electronic Arts Productions, and Take 2 Productions
1
. Some games, such as "OD" and "Physint," faced delays in filming and casting stages due to the strike2
. The resolution of this dispute is crucial for the video game industry, which generated an estimated $187 billion in 20242
.Related Stories
Broader Implications for AI in Entertainment
This agreement follows similar concerns raised in the Hollywood writers' and actors' strikes of 2023, highlighting the growing importance of AI regulations across the entertainment industry
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. Duncan Crabtree-Ireland, SAG-AFTRA's national executive director, noted, "In the last few years, it's become obvious that we are at an inflection point where rules of the road have to be set for AI"3
.
Source: THR
Next Steps
Union members have until July 10, 2025, at 5 p.m. Pacific to vote on ratifying the tentative agreement
5
. If approved, the contract will formally end the nearly three-year-long effort to secure new terms for video game performers5
. The focus will then shift to implementing and enforcing these new provisions, with Elmaleh emphasizing the need for members to stay engaged and report potential violations5
.References
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