SAG-AFTRA Inks Agreement With Replica Studios For AI Digital Voice Replication Use In Video Games

Katie Campione
·2 min read

Amid a lengthy contract negotiation with the video game industry, SAG-AFTRA has inked a deal with Replica Studios regarding the use of AI digital voice replicas in video games.

The guild’s National Executive Director and chief negotiator Duncan Crabtree-Ireland announced the deal with Replica on Tuesday alongside the studio’s CEO Shreyas Nivas at the Las Vegas tech summit CES.

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The agreement will span both the creation of digital voice replicas and their use throughout game development. The deal includes minimum rates and terms that require safe storage of performer data, transparency around the nature of the content of digital replica will be used for, performer consent for use of their replica in any new project, limitations on the amount of time that a performance replica can be employed without further payment, and consent.

Crabtree-Ireland explained that the agreement highlights SAG-AFTRA’s “intent and ability to work with employers to create terms that benefit and protect our members and allow them to engage with opportunities driven by new technologies.”

The deal comes on the heels of the actors guild’s deal with the film and TV studios, which was finally ratified in December after a strike that lasted nearly six months. AI became a hot topic of discussion during those negotiations, and it was among the members’ chief concerns when deciding whether to ratify the new contract.

It’s also an important milestone in SAG-AFTRA’s current negotiations with the video game companies. The committee for that contract is the same one that negotiated the deal with Replica.

The hope is that this deal with Replica will force some momentum back into those talks with the video game studios, which have been ongoing for more than a year. The guild already has a strike authorization, and Crabtree-Ireland insinuated they are prepared to use it soon.

The 10 companies facing a possible strike are Activision Productions Inc., Blindlight LLC, Disney Character Voices Inc., Electronic Arts Productions Inc., Epic Games, Inc., Formosa Interactive LLC, Insomniac Games Inc., Take 2 Productions Inc., VoiceWorks Productions Inc., and WB Games Inc.

“I expect that that agreement will need to either move forward, or we’ll be seeing more activity in that area in the coming weeks,” he said. “I’m hopeful and optimistic that video game companies will learn from the example presented by Replica. Let’s hope that’s the case.”

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