LOS ANGELES — For more than a year and a half, leaders of Hollywood's actors union have been negotiating with video game companies over a new contract that covers the performers who bring their titles to life.
“Our concern is the idea that all of this work translates into grist for the mill that displaces us,” said Sarah Elmaleh, chair of the interactive negotiating committee. “They do not have to call us back, you do not have to be informed of what they’ve used your material to create.” The last interactive contract, negotiated in 2017, did not provide protections around AI. The agreement covers more than 2,500 "off-camera performers, on-camera performers, stunt coordinators, singers, dancers, puppeteers, and background performers," according to the union.
“We have reached tentative agreements on the vast majority of proposals and remain optimistic that we can reach a deal soon,” Cooling said in an emailed statement. Unchecked AI can lead to ethical questions, particularly when it comes to a so-called “synthetic voice” generating voice work that the original actor might not morally agree with.