Hollywood video game actors will strike early Friday to demand safeguards against artificial intelligence, the US actors’ union announced.
According to the Screen Actors Guild and the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA), the work stoppage for the industry’s video game voice actors and motion capture performers begins at 12:01 a.m. (0401 GMT) in California.
Thursday’s announcement comes after more than a year and a half of fruitless negotiations between the union and several video game giants, including Activision, Disney, Electronic Arts and Warner Bros. Games.
“We are not going to consent to a contract that allows companies to abuse artificial intelligence at the expense of our members. Enough is enough,” said SAG-AFTRA President Fran Desser, star of the 1990s sitcom “The Nanny.” 1990.
“When these companies start proposing a deal with our members that they can live — and work — we’ll be here, ready to negotiate.”
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The deal in question covers about 2,600 artists who provide voice dubbing services for video games or whose physical movements are captured to bring computer-generated characters to life.
Union members are concerned about the industry’s use of artificial intelligence, as the technology makes it possible to reproduce an actor’s voice or digitally represent a stuntman’s actions without their consent or fair remuneration.
With American actors winning their case against movie studios and television producers after a historic strike that paralyzed much of Hollywood last year, SAG-AFTRA is similarly demanding guarantees from the video game industry.
“Honestly, it’s amazing that these video game studios haven’t learned anything from the lessons of the past year — that our members can and will stand up and demand fair and equal treatment with respect to AI, and our audiences supports it,” said Duncan Crabtree-Ireland, the Union’s chief negotiator.
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Faced with deadlocked negotiations, the video game actors authorized their union to go on strike last September. The collective agreement governing their working conditions expired in November 2022.
Video game producers had reported progress in the talks.
“We are disappointed that the union has chosen to walk away when we are so close to an agreement, and we remain prepared to continue negotiations,” said Audrey Cooling, a spokeswoman for the producers.
According to Cooling, the administration’s offer includes “historic wage increases” and “substantial AI protections,” including requiring “consent and fair compensation” for artists.
Source: AFP