The Federation of American Actors and American Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) announced that a preliminary agreement had been reached on the Interact Media Agreement (IMA) with a number of video games companies, which could put an end to the strike by voice-temperators that had begun on 25 July 2024.
The agreement covers the use of artificial intelligence (AI) norms, salary adjustments and improved working conditions. It covers companies such as the Animated Snowstorm, the United States Arts and Electric Power, Take-Two (Star R parent company), Warner James and the Insomniac Games. The American Actors Union indicated that the agreement was subject to a vote by union members and that the vote was expected to be completed by the end of June 2025. If passed, the strike will officially end and the actor can resume work.
SAG-AFTRA launched a strike against the video game industry on 25 July 2024, involving some 2,500 voice-players and action catchers to protest against the unfair treatment of game companies in the use of AI, pay and working hours. Trade unions require the clarification of enabling clauses for AI-generated content to prevent unauthorized use of actors ‘ voices or images. The strike affected the development of many games, such as the GTA6 (Take-Two) and the Insomniac Games, which led to the postponement of some of the projects.
The core contradiction of the strike was to prevent the abuse of the generated AI technology by the game companies, and the actors demanded that businesses be prohibited from using their voices permanently or generating them through AI for follow-up projects without authorization and continued compensation. The national executive director and chief negotiator of SAG-AFTRA, Duncan Crabtree-Ireland, stated that the new agreement “created the necessary AI protective provisions to safeguard the livelihood of performers during the AI era while making progress on other key interests”.
The union president Fran Drescher stressed: “Our players are the most powerful employers in the world’s most lucrative industry. Their extraordinary courage and perseverance, coupled with the tireless efforts of the Committee, ultimately led to an agreement. We have made substantial progress and fared better than before. Once the agreement has been approved, we will begin to prepare for the next round of negotiations — every contract needs to be perfected, and progress is the central goal.”
The strike was another major labour action in the entertainment industry following the Hollywood strike of 2023 for actors and writers. In 2024, the global video game market was over $180 billion, and voice and action catchers were critical to the game narrative.
If the agreement is finalized, SAG-AFTRA will establish a long-term cooperation framework with the game company to review regularly the technical and labour provisions of AI. Trade unions also plan to extend similar protection to the animated and video industry, in response to the wide application of AI.