SAG-AFTRA Signs Agreement To Allow Devs To Use A.I. Voices In Games

gameinformer.com:

Last September, SAG-AFTRA union members voted yes to authorize a video game strike. Reasons why included a desire for better wages, increased safety precautions, and protections around exploitative uses of artificial intelligence. Now, just a few months later, SAG-AFTRA has signed an agreement with Replica Studios, an A.I. voice technology company, to allow game developers to use A.I. voices, as reported by Game Developer. 

Various video game voice actors, like Yong Yea, the new English voice of Kazuma Kiryu in the Like a Dragon series, have publicly stated that they and other actors they know were not aware of this. «Evey voice actor I know not only didn't approve this,» Yea writes in a tweet. "[They] pretty much heard about this for the first time today on Twitter." 

Every voice actor I know not only didn't approve this, they pretty much heard about this for the first time today on Twitter.

SAG-AFTRA says this new agreement «paves the way for professional voice over artists to safely explore new employment opportunities for their digital voice replicas with industry-leading protections tailored to A.I. technology, allowing AAA video game studios and other companies working with Replica to access top SAG-AFTRA talent.» According to the union, this agreement will enable Replica and union members to engage «under a fair, ethical agreement to safely create and license a digital replica of their voice.» From there, those licensed voices can be used in game development and other interactive media projects from pre-production to final release. 

Curiously, the union says this contract was approved by affected members of its voiceover performer community. But Yea is not alone in voicing his concern over this agreement publicly