The Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) has initiated a strike representing approximately 2,600 performers in the video game industry due to unresolved negotiations over artificial intelligence (AI) concerns.

This strike follows a vote by SAG-AFTRA game workers after 18 months of stalled negotiations focused on AI protections, consent, and compensation for the use of digital replicas.

Despite the strike, negotiations will continue behind closed doors, with actors beginning picket lines outside major companies like Warner Bros. Games on August 1.

The picketing coincided with the introduction of the NO FAKES Act in the Senate, aimed at regulating the use of digital replicas and gaining broad support across the industry.

Union leaders stress the necessity for video game producers to inform performers if they intend to replicate their voices or likenesses using AI, ensuring proper consent and compensation.

Major game companies, including Activision and EA, have claimed to offer meaningful AI protections, but SAG-AFTRA members argue these proposals are inadequate compared to previous agreements.

Union leaders assert that the unregulated use of AI poses a greater threat to voice actors and motion capture artists than in film and television due to the ease of creating digital replicas.

The picket line was primarily composed of actors, with support from the Writers Guild of America (WGA) and the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE), highlighting ongoing solidarity within the industry.

This strike has seen a unified front among various types of performers, emphasizing their collective effort against the challenges posed by AI.

The strike rules prohibit SAG-AFTRA members from working on or promoting any games associated with the ongoing negotiations, creating uncertainty about which games will be affected.

The video game industry is projected to grow to $207 billion by 2026, underscoring the financial stakes involved in these negotiations.