Video Game Voice Actors Union Reach Major AI Protection Deal

SAG-AFTRA secures new AI safeguards for video game voice and motion-capture actors, signaling broader entertainment industry protections—and a blueprint for unions working alongside technology.

Jaguirre2192, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

After nearly a year on strike, SAG-AFTRA announced June 10 that voice and motion-capture actors for video games have reached a tentative agreement with major studios, including Activision, EA, Disney, and Epic Games. Central to the deal are new protections guarding actors against unauthorized use of artificial intelligence in their performances—a win that illustrates how performer advocacy is extending well beyond film and television.

The strike, which began in July 2024, centered heavily on concerns that studios could use AI-generated replicas of actors' voices or movements without proper consent or compensation. Under the new contract, any use of AI-generated voices or likeness beyond the actor’s original recorded sessions must be agreed upon in writing and accompanied by additional payment. Producers are also now required to disclose if AI tools will be used during motion-capture or voice acting sessions.

Union leaders framed the agreement as precedent-setting. In her statement, SAG-AFTRA Chief Negotiator Maureen Callahan emphasized that “actors are not data sets,” signaling a sharp departure from practices where performers’ creative contributions were taken as part of a broader AI training corpus. The agreement also includes language preventing studios from reassigning AI-generated replicas in perpetuity—even after actors’ contracts have ended.

The implications extend beyond gaming. As AI dubbing, deepfake cameos, and even fully synthetic characters gain traction in Hollywood, this contract offers a potential template for other categories of performers. SAG-AFTRA and WGA have been negotiating similar AI clauses for on-screen talent and writers—this deal reinforces the union’s strategic approach to carve out protections across entertainment sectors.

From a broader labor trend perspective, analysts note that the early success of this action has energized wider union tech negotiations. The deal is expected to support the bipartisan NO FAKES Act currently pending in Congress, which aims to criminalize unauthorized digital impersonation of public figures. Media lobbyists and rights organizations have cited this agreement as evidence of growing consensus around performer-driven AI oversight.

Financially, the terms include a modest dual-payment structure: if AI-wrangling expands usage beyond original performances, actors receive a 1.5x bonus fee. Studios also commit to creating a review board—with equal representation from production and performer sides—to oversee AI usage in game development.

Industry watchers describe the deal as a proactive solution to avoid future disruptions in an AI-driven era and as a nod to the significant economic weight of video game voice work. The gaming sector accounted for over $45 billion in U.S. sales last year, and voice/motion-access remains integral to immersive storytelling in AAA titles.

Critics argue that the new structure could burden independent developers with compliance costs, potentially slowing innovation. But SAG-AFTRA counters that responsible AI adoption ultimately benefits creative quality and intellectual property integrity. They point to recent controversies—like unauthorized deepfake ads—that damaged brand reputations and consumer trust.

As SAG-AFTRA waits for its national board to finalize the deal, the agreement already stands as a milestone: the first strike-led union win specific to AI controls in entertainment. It signals that even as technology evolves at breakneck speed, performer rights continue advancing through collective bargaining.

For Hollywood, this is more than a gaming headline—it’s a blueprint for harmonizing technological efficiency with creative responsibility. If upheld, the deal could reassure performers across film, TV, voice work, and beyond that their likenesses remain under their control, even in an age of generative AI.