Forbes StaffVideo game voice actors have raised their concerns and gone on strike because of the high usage of AI, making them feel threatened about losing their jobs and ruining their careers.
Artificial intelligence (AI) has gradually taken over almost all industries worldwide but with an impact. The video gaming industry has also faced the brunt of it. With great AI-driven technologies enhancing players’ experience in video games, several video game voice actors have been losing jobs due to it. Hence, these actors and motion-capture performers went on a strike a few days ago over failed labor contract negotiations focused on AI-related worker protections.
Strike by US video game actors.
US video game actors and motion-capture performers called a strike a few days ago following months of negotiations with significant video game companies like Take-Two Interactive, Disney Character Voices, Activision Productions, Electronic Arts, Epic Games, and Warner Bros Discovery’s WB Games.
AI instead of human voices on video games.
One of the voice actors, video game strike captain Leeanna Albanese, told Reuters, “The models that they’re using have been trained on our voices without our consent at all, with no compensation.” This is the latest strike in Hollywood after union writers and actors marched on the picket lines last year, with AI being a major concern for their jobs and careers.
People in Hollywood have been advocating for a law protecting actors and artists from AI risks. Speaking on the need to have a larger national law, Leeanna Albanese said, “There’s not a larger national law to protect us, so the no fakes act is basically legislation with the goal of protecting our identities, protecting our personhood on a national scale as opposed to on a state level.” Also, the SAG-AFTRA performers union, the Motion Picture Association, The Recording Academy, and Disney support the No Fakes Act, a bipartisan bill in Congress making it illegal to make an AI replica of someone’s likeness and voice without their permission.
