SAG-AFTRA has reportedly reached a ‘tentative’ deal for a new Interactive Media Agreement that provides long-demanded AI protections for actors working in video games. Since July 2024, union video game workers have been on strike over a lack of progress in contract negotiations with major video game companies, including Activision Productions, Blindlight, Disney Character Voices, Electronic Arts, Epic Games, Formosa Interactive, Insomniac Games, Take 2 Productions, and WB Games.
The major sticking point that truncated negotiations and forced the ongoing months-long strike, was the need to protect video game actors from AI exploitation. Specifically, negotiators were bargaining for more power and compensation for actors in situations where AI replicas of their voice might be made.
