Union Agreements over AI Allow 80 Video Games to Resume Production

Video game actors’ strike update: SAG-AFTRA has announced that 80 video games have agreed to the union’s proposed AI terms, allowing actors to work on these titles during the ongoing strike.

• The Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) made the announcement on Thursday, September 5, 2024.
• These games are now temporarily exempt from the walkout, provided they adhere to the union’s artificial intelligence rules.
• Companies that have entered AI agreements with SAG-AFTRA include Little Bat Games (“Vampire Therapist”), Studio Wildcard (“Ark: Survival Evolved”), and Lightspeed L.A. (“Last Sentinel”).

Key terms of the agreements: The AI agreements with SAG-AFTRA encompass various provisions to protect actors’ rights and ensure fair working conditions in the video game industry.

• The agreements include terms related to compensation, rest periods, health benefits, auditions, and safety.
• Sarah Elmaleh, chair of SAG-AFTRA’s video game negotiating committee, emphasized that the high number of companies signing these agreements demonstrates the reasonableness of the protections.

Background of the strike: The video game performers’ strike began in late July 2024 due to unresolved issues surrounding artificial intelligence in the industry.

• Thousands of actors involved in voice-over and motion-capture work for video games have been on strike since negotiations failed.
• The Interactive Media Agreement between SAG-AFTRA and major game developers, including Activision, Electronic Arts, and Disney, expired in November 2022.

Union demands: SAG-AFTRA is seeking specific protections and rights for performers regarding the use of AI in video game production.

• The union wants video game producers to notify and obtain consent from performers before using AI to replicate their voices, movements, or likenesses.
• SAG-AFTRA is also demanding that employers inform actors upfront about how their digital replicas will be used and provide appropriate compensation.

Industry response: Video game companies have expressed their perspective on the negotiations and their efforts to address the union’s concerns.

• A spokesperson for video game companies, Audrey Cooling, stated that employers have been working to deliver proposals with reasonable terms that protect performers’ rights while allowing the use of advanced technology for creating entertainment experiences.

Strategic approach: The use of interim agreements has been a crucial part of SAG-AFTRA’s campaign strategy, drawing from experiences in previous strikes.

• This approach was also employed during last year’s film and TV actors’ strike, where independent studios made side deals with the union before the work stoppage ended.
• AI emerged as a major point of contention during that strike as well, highlighting the growing importance of this issue across the entertainment industry.

Recent developments: SAG-AFTRA continues to make progress in securing agreements with individual companies during the ongoing strike.

• On Wednesday, the union announced an interim agreement with Lightspeed L.A. for their upcoming game “Last Sentinel.”
• Steve Martin, general manager of Lightspeed L.A., expressed support for the agreement, stating that recognizing the value of talent is the right thing to do.

Broader implications: The video game actors’ strike underscores the growing importance of AI regulations in the entertainment industry and beyond.

• The strike highlights the need for clear guidelines and protections for performers as AI technology continues to advance and become more prevalent in creative industries.
• The outcome of this strike could set precedents for how AI is used and regulated in other sectors, potentially influencing future labor negotiations and technological implementations across various fields.