Video game voice actors and motion-capture performers held their first picket on Thursday in front of Warner Bros. Games, raising concerns about artificial intelligence threatening their jobs.
AI Concerns
Leeanna Albanese, a voice actor from “Persona 5 Tactica” and strike captain, expressed concerns about AI models being trained on their voices without consent or compensation. “The models that they’re using have been trained on our voices without our consent at all, with no compensation,” Albanese told Reuters.
Strike Background
The strike was called last week after labor contract negotiations failed to secure AI-related protections for workers. This action mirrors previous strikes by Hollywood union writers and actors last year, where AI was also a major concern.
Human Element in Entertainment
Jeff Leach, a British actor from “Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare & Warzone,” emphasized the importance of the human element in interactive projects. “I think when you remove the human element from any interactive project, whether it be a video game or TV show, an animated series, a movie, and you put AI in replacement for the human element, we can tell! I’m a gamer, I’m a digester of this content,” Leach said.
Negotiations and Impact
The decision to strike follows months of negotiations with major video game companies, including:
- Activision Productions
- Electronic Arts
- Epic Games
- Take-Two Interactive
- Disney Character Voices
- Warner Bros. Discovery’s WB Games
Despite the strike, analysts believe major video game publishers like Electronic Arts and Take-Two will likely avoid significant disruptions due to their in-house studios and the lengthy development cycles of games.
Key Points
- Strike Location: Warner Bros. Games
- Main Concern: AI replacing human voice and motion-capture actors
- Voice Actor: Leeanna Albanese (Persona 5 Tactica)
- Actor’s Opinion: Jeff Leach (Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare & Warzone) stresses the importance of the human element
- Companies Involved: Activision Productions, Electronic Arts, Epic Games, Take-Two Interactive, Disney Character Voices, WB Games
- Industry Impact: Major publishers expected to manage the strike impact due to internal resources and development timelines
Summary Table
| Aspect | Details |
|---|---|
| Strike Location | Warner Bros. Games |
| Main Concern | AI replacing human voice and motion-capture actors |
| Key Voice Actor | Leeanna Albanese (Persona 5 Tactica) |
| Actor’s Perspective | Jeff Leach (Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare & Warzone) highlights the value of human input |
| Companies Involved | Activision Productions, Electronic Arts, Epic Games, Take-Two Interactive, Disney, WB Games |
| Industry Impact | Major publishers likely to manage impact due to internal resources and development cycles |
