SAG-AFTRA and Publishers Reach Impasse in AI Negotiations

The negotiations between the SAG-AFTRA union and game publishers have hit a significant roadblock, with a long journey still ahead to reach a consensus on using artificial intelligence in the realm of acting.

The union recently updated its members with a statement on its website. While acknowledging some progress and partial agreements, the note emphasized that there remains a “frustratingly far apart” distance from a final agreement, particularly concerning AI. SAG-AFTRA’s members in the gaming sector have been striking since July 2024 due to this issue.

The main point of dispute revolves around the use of AI to replicate an actor’s voice in future projects without their consent or even awareness. Some publishers are pushing for the right to do so.

“The negotiating team gives an impression that we’re almost there,” stated SAG-AFTRA. “That’s misleading. They’re counting on division among us. We urge you to examine our detailed AI proposal comparison chart to see just where the disagreements lie over essential protections for performers.”

The statement went on to explain that the publishers wish to leverage all past performances and other sourced content without any agreed safeguards. This could mean performers remain uninformed about their digital replicas’ usage, receive no compensation, and face restrictions on how they can protect their voices. The publishers might use these replicas during future strikes regardless of actor consent, and if specific usage permissions are granted, performers wouldn’t be informed about any deviations in how their likeness is employed.

Despite these challenges with the current bargaining group, SAG-AFTRA highlighted successes with other companies. Over 160 games have adopted their temporary and independent agreements, generating more revenue than those that remain unaffected by the strike. These agreements provide the protections the union seeks, demonstrating their feasibility and wide acceptance among numerous game developers, in stark contrast to the resistance faced from certain publishers in the negotiation process.