Video game performers picket over AI concerns at Warner Bros. Studios

Video game performers are taking their fight against the unregulated use of artificial intelligence (AI) to the Warner Bros. Studios lot. The strike, initiated last week by SAG-AFTRA, aims to secure protections for voice actors and motion capture artists, whose likenesses could be replicated and used without consent or fair compensation.

The union argues that the current proposals from gaming companies, while offering wage increases and some AI protections, fall short of adequately safeguarding performers' rights. They emphasize that the definition of "performer" is crucial in determining who is protected under the proposed contract..

“The industry has told us point blank that they do not necessarily consider everyone who is rendering movement performance to be a performer that is covered by the collective bargaining agreement,” SAG-AFTRA Chief Contracts Officer Ray Rodriguez said at a news conference last week, adding that some physical performances are being treated as “data.”

The strike highlights the growing concern about the impact of AI on various industries, with video game performers being particularly vulnerable due to the ease with which their voices and likenesses can be digitally replicated. The union hopes that their protest will lead to a fair agreement that protects their rights and ensures fair compensation in the face of evolving technology.