AI Sparks Rift in SAG-AFTRA, Leading to Strike Against Gaming Giants

SAG-AFTRA's Strike Against Video Game Giants: A Fight for AI Protections

SAG-AFTRA, the actors' and broadcasters' union, launched a strike against major video game companies on July 26th, targeting industry leaders like Activision, Electronic Arts, and others. This action, following protracted negotiations, centers on crucial concerns about the ethical use of artificial intelligence (AI) and ensuring fair compensation for performers.

The core dispute revolves around the unchecked proliferation of AI in video game production. While not inherently opposed to AI technology, SAG-AFTRA members express deep anxieties about its potential to replace human actors. The union highlights the risk of unauthorized AI replication of actors' voices and likenesses, and the threat AI poses to entry-level roles crucial for aspiring performers. Furthermore, the ethical implications of AI-generated content potentially contradicting an actor's values are a significant concern.

Addressing the complexities of AI and related issues, SAG-AFTRA has proactively introduced new agreements. The Tiered-Budget Independent Interactive Media Agreement (I-IMA) provides a flexible framework for smaller-budget projects ($250,000 to $30 million), offering tiered rates and terms including AI protections initially rejected by the industry. This builds upon a January side deal with Replica Studios, enabling union actors to license digital voice replicas under controlled conditions, including the right to opt out of perpetual use.

Further mitigating the strike's impact, the Interim Interactive Media Agreement and Interim Interactive Localization Agreement offer temporary solutions addressing various aspects, including compensation, AI usage stipulations, rest periods, and payment terms. Importantly, these agreements exclude post-release content like expansion packs and DLC, while exempting approved interactive programs from the strike.

Negotiations, initiated in October 2022, culminated in a 98.32% strike authorization vote by SAG-AFTRA members in September 2023. Despite progress on other issues, the lack of concrete and enforceable AI protections remains the primary obstacle. Union leadership, including President Fran Drescher and National Executive Director Duncan Crabtree-Ireland, have underscored the union's unwavering commitment to securing fair treatment and protecting its members from AI exploitation within the lucrative video game industry. The strike highlights the union's resolve to establish a precedent for ethical AI practices in the evolving digital entertainment landscape.