The world of gaming was rocked last week as actors from the industry went on strike over the use of artificial intelligence (AI) and the threat it poses to their livelihoods. This strike has reignited the debate about how the entertainment industry is adapting to new technology.
One of the most high-profile voice actors in the world, Jennifer Hale, expressed her concerns about AI being used to reproduce her voice for video games. She fears that AI could generate entirely new performances without fair compensation for the actors involved.
The strike, which began on July 25th, has highlighted the disparities in pay between voice actors in games compared to film and TV actors. Despite the gaming industry generating billions in revenue, voice actors are not receiving the same level of compensation.
Negotiations between the actors union SAG-AFTRA and game companies like Activision and EA have stalled over AI protections. While some progress has been made on other issues, AI remains a sticking point in the negotiations.
In a show of solidarity, the UK actor’s union Equity has released a statement supporting SAG-AFTRA in their fight for fair pay and protection of members’ rights. However, regulations around strikes differ in the UK, and UK members of SAG-AFTRA are not compelled to strike.
As the strike continues in the US, voice actors like Jennifer Hale hope that long-term creative concerns will prevail over short-term commercial gain. They emphasize the importance of working together to ensure fair compensation and protection for all actors in the industry.
