Video game actors to strike in California

Hollywood's video game actors will go on strike early Friday to demand safeguards against artificial intelligence, the US actors' union announced.

The work stoppage for the industry's video game voice actors and motion capture performers begins at 12:01 am (0401 GMT) in California, according to the Screen Actors Guild and American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA).

Thursday's announcement comes after more than a year and a half of fruitless negotiations between the union and several video game giants including Activision, Disney, Electronic Arts and Warner Bros. Games.

"We're not going to consent to a contract that allows companies to abuse A.I. to the detriment of our members. Enough is enough," SAG-AFTRA President Fran Drescher, star of 1990s sitcom "The Nanny," said in a statement.

"When these companies get serious about offering an agreement our members can live -- and work -- with, we will be here, ready to negotiate."

The agreement under discussion concerns some 2,600 artists who provide voice dubbing services for video games, or whose physical movements are recorded in order to animate computer-generated characters.

Union members are concerned about the industry's use of AI, as the technology makes it possible to reproduce an actor's voice or digitally recreate a stuntman's actions without their consent or fair remuneration.

With American actors winning their case against movie studios and television producers after a historic strike largely paralyzed Hollywood last year, SAG-AFTRA is similarly demanding guarantees from the video game industry.

"Frankly, it's stunning that these video game studios haven't learned anything from the lessons of last year -- that our members can and will stand up and demand fair and equitable treatment with respect to A.I., and the public supports us in that," said Duncan Crabtree-Ireland, the union's chief negotiator.

Facing stalled negotiations, the video game actors had authorized their union to call a strike last September. The collective agreement governing their working conditions expired in November 2022.

The video game producers had cited progress in the talks.

"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," Audrey Cooling, a spokesperson for the producers, said in a statement.

According to Cooling, the management's offer includes "historic wage increases" and "meaningful AI protections," including requiring "consent and fair compensation" for artists.