According to SAG AFTRA, the deal will “enable Replica to engage SAG-AFTRA members under a fair, ethical agreement to safely create and license a digital replica of their voice. Licensed voices can be used in video game development and other interactive media projects from pre-production to final release.”
The deal reportedly includes minimum terms and the requirement for performers’ consent to use their voice for AI.
However, several prominent video game voice actors were quick to respond on X, specifically to a portion of the statement which claims the deal was approved by “affected members of the union’s voiceover performer community.”
Apex Legends voice actor Erika Ishii wrote: “Approved by… WHO exactly?? Was any one of the ‘affected members’ who signed off on this a working voice actor?”
AI sucks at creativity. I think there is going to be a lot of crap out there that takes advantage of those willing to sell their voices away, but good games will need a combination for a good while yet, and a deal that looks something like what you’ve sketched out, where voice actors are compensated as well as they are now, or slightly better, per game that uses their voice, many will sign up, even if it’s less work overall.
There will be games advertised AI-free before long, and if I was a leader in the industry, I’d be trying to give a bit more celebrity status to voice actors. I already know the names of dinnere of my favorites, like Ashley Birch, Jennifer Hale, Nolan North, Kimiko Glenn, Matt Mercer (and the whole Critical Role crew, especially Ashley Johnson), and the list goes on. I would buy games just because they were advertised as featuring these folks and more so if I heard from them they’d be treated well.
AI is inevitable. I just hope people continue to push hard against the enshittification of everything.