Key issues up for negotiation include pay and conditions, but also “protections against unrestrained use of artificial intelligence”, specifically the impact upon performance capture artists.

The companies involved in the negotiations include Activision, Disney, EA, Epic Games, Insomniac, Take 2, and Warner Bros.

“It has been nearly a year since SAG-AFTRA’s video game contract, the Interactive Media Agreement, was extended beyond the original expiration date as we negotiated with the companies for critical terms SAG-AFTRA members need,” the statement explains.

“Unfortunately, throughout the negotiations, the companies have failed to address those needs. For this reason, the negotiating committee and National Board unanimously agreed that the union should have a member-approved strike authorisation in hand when bargaining resumes on 26th September.”

    • @Foggyfroggy@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      English
      3210 months ago

      Workers rights absolutely. Pay your human workers even while using ai to make a great product. AI didn’t do anything to me, it’s how the companies decide to use it.

      • @echo64@lemmy.world
        link
        fedilink
        English
        4
        edit-2
        10 months ago

        Oh yeah I’m sure they will use the ai to pay human workers as well. You definitely know that if they are allowed to use ai they won’t use it in a way that means they can stop paying humans and can just have ais generate everything all whist delivering a lower quality product to the customer.

        It’s a win win, as long as you are an executive or a shareholder.

      • EtherealMoon
        link
        fedilink
        English
        -610 months ago

        I am potentially okay with this. The entertainment industry has been creatively bankrupt for too long. Actors will move to more independent work, more interesting and experimental content will get made, corporate will advance AI technology. Win-win?

    • @Pixlbabble@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      English
      0
      edit-2
      10 months ago

      Or more Ai as a cash incentive. It’s already an industry that creates npc’s, Ai will improve this, Indy’s might just sit there and craft perfect Ai actors and license them out.

      • @echo64@lemmy.world
        link
        fedilink
        English
        410 months ago

        Hey voice actors, take this five bucks today so we can make your job vanish tomorrow, it’s a win win! For us. Not you. This guy thinks you should do it though because we already… make npcs? That you currently voice.

        • @Pixlbabble@lemmy.world
          link
          fedilink
          English
          110 months ago

          I just think it’s inevitable that we will see fully voiced and interactive ai npc companions. I’m not saying it’s good or bad, I’m in a union and I’m pro worker but this is tech and I think tech is gonna tech.

          • @echo64@lemmy.world
            link
            fedilink
            English
            110 months ago

            It’s inevitable if you give up and let companies do whatever they want yes. It’s not if you get them to sign papers and lobby for regulation to protect workers.

            I don’t understand this defeatist mentality at all sorry.

      • @Katana314@lemmy.world
        link
        fedilink
        English
        510 months ago

        It won’t lift up everyone, but the people that it will help are in any normal classification considered workers.