The studios and workers have found consensus on 24 out of 25 proposals, according to Audrey Cooling, a spokesperson for the game companies. — AP
Video-game voice actors will go on strike starting at 12:01am Friday after failing to come to an agreement over the use of artificial intelligence in the industry.
The Screen Actors Guild, which represents the workers, said it has been negotiating for 18 months with video-game studios such as Microsoft Corp’s Activision Productions Inc, Electronic Arts Productions Inc, Disney Character Voices Inc and Warner Brothers Games Inc.
"We’re not going to consent to a contract that allows companies to abuse AI to the detriment of our members,” SAG-AFTRA President Fran Drescher said in a statement.
The studios and workers have found consensus on 24 out of 25 proposals, according to Audrey Cooling, a spokesperson for the game companies. They include "historic” wage increases and additional safety provisions. The studios said they will also seek actors’ consent when using their voices when AI is involved, and compensate them fairly.
"We are disappointed the union has chosen to walk away when we are so close to a deal, and we remain prepared to resume negotiations,” Cooling said in an emailed statement.
Artificial intelligence has been a controversial topic in negotiations throughout the media world. Last year, a SAG-AFTRA strike shut down production in Hollywood until major film and TV studios agreed to a new contract that included AI-related protections for actors.
About 2,600 people worked under the guild’s interactive media contract, the union said in September. – Bloomberg
