The Authentic Irritation Involved With AI

Sometimes, it’s a hard decision between being productive or sleeping.


Though some of us are clever enough to ask the burning question
“Why not both?” in having to choose what sleep represents

A point of interested which has remained relevant for some time now, even more so if one considers the number of layoffs that have occurred within the industry just this year, involves the actors union SAG-AFTRA going on strike after more than a year of negotiations for better conditions and wages for voice actors that work within the video game industry. One of the more pressing hot button issues that has caused the strike to take place is the use of AI to help sabotage and negate the need to hire voice actors to help bring life the characters that act as the cohesive glue for the entire in game atmosphere of 100’s of video games that come out every year.


Even silent video game protagonists have voice actors

Variety recently reported about the ongoing issues involving the strike, and had quoted prominent video game voice actress Jennifer Hale (Metal Gear Solid, Baldur’s Gate, Mass Effect) as one of many outspoken critics involved with the strike as to why developers and publishers need to play ball in agreeing to sign with the union for better protections against AI-

Jennifer Hale: “AI is coming for all of us. Because the truth is, AI is just a tool like a hammer. If i take my hammer, I could build you a house. I can also take that same hammer and I can smash your skin and destroy who you are. If you use something that originated in our body or our voices, can we please get paid? Because now you’re using technology to take away our ability to feed out kids.”


Jennifer Hale

SAG-AFTRA has even gone before Congress with proposed bills such as the “NO FAKES act”, helping to enable new protections against generative AI from appropriating likenesses, whether it be visual or audio based, to be used in the development of video games, leaving countless actors out in the cold without compensation for performances that they themselves were the original genesis of. SAG-AFTRA has continued to negotiate with over 70 studios to enable more rights for workers within the industry, with big names including Activision, EA, Take 2, and even larger media companies whose scope reach beyond the gaming world, like Warner Bros and Disney.


Pay your people, fools!

The Strike has been going on for a little over a month now, and while it would seem video game companies have agreed with the negotiations of SAG-AFTRA on a number of points related to better rights and compensation, the AI debate rages on and acts as a unique snag as to where the compromise has reached a stand still. SAG-AFTRA has proposed any of the larger companies involved need to sign their new Tiered-Budget Independent Interactive Media Agreement or the Interim Interactive Localization Agreement, if an accord on vital protections against AI misuse will come to fruition. These reports from Variety and the comments from Hale come on the heels of another gaffe related to the strike, as an executive of Amazon games division recently was quoted as saying “we don’t really have acting” in reference to their video games in speaking about the usage of AI, which drew understandable criticism as a push back to a comment that seems utterly unfathomable considering the circumstances.


You guys are developing a Lord of the Rings MMO
for freaking sake. You’re telling me there is no talking
in Middle Earth?

All of this stands as an excellent reminder as to why unions are so vital in protecting our workers, no matter the industry. We collectively as a society, should have been focusing on legislation to reign in the possibly negative ramifications of AI use across the board a decade ago, as we are starting to see the fallout of what happens when we leave it unregulated. Another important reason to stay politically aware, and to contact your local representatives to let them know how you feel about these issues and relevant legislation that may matter in helping to create better standards for unions whether they’re related to the video game industry or not.

~Pashford