SAG-AFTRA secures AI guardrails in tentative video game contract deal

The Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA), Hollywood’s union for video game performers, has reached a tentative contract agreement with major video game companies that could end an 11-month strike over artificial intelligence protections. The strike, which began in July 2024, centered on performers’ concerns that unregulated AI could be used to replicate their voices and likenesses without consent, potentially displacing human talent in the gaming industry.

What you should know: The tentative deal includes AI guardrails that SAG-AFTRA says will protect performers’ livelihoods in the digital age.

• Union members struck against major gaming companies including Activision, Electronic Arts, Disney Character Voices, Epic Games, Insomniac Games, Take 2 Productions, and WB Games.
• The agreement still requires approval by the National Board and ratification by union membership before taking effect.
• Performers will remain on strike until a formal strike suspension agreement is finalized with the companies.

Why this matters: Video game performers face unique AI threats because convincing digital voice replicas can be created cheaply and easily, making the technology more accessible to game developers than in traditional film and television.

• SAG-AFTRA warned that AI posed “an equal or even greater threat” to video game performers compared to other entertainment sectors.
• The union’s concerns centered on AI being trained to replicate actors’ voices or create digital replicas of their likeness without proper consent or compensation.

What they’re saying: “Patience and persistence has resulted in a deal that puts in place the necessary AI guardrails that defend performers’ livelihoods in the AI age, alongside other important gains,” said SAG-AFTRA National Executive Director Duncan Crabtree-Ireland.

Historical context: This marks the second major video game performer strike in recent years.

• The previous strike lasted from October 2016 to September 2017, ultimately securing bonus compensation structures for voice actors and performance capture artists.
• The current strike’s duration of nearly a year demonstrates the complexity of negotiating AI protections in the entertainment industry.