Video game developers are increasingly using AI for voice acting, sparking backlash from actors and unions concerned about livelihoods and ethics. Recent examples include Embark Studios' Arc Raiders and Supertrick Games' Let it Die: Inferno, where AI generated incidental dialogue or character voices. SAG-AFTRA and Equity are pushing for consent, fair pay, and regulations to protect performers.
Background on AI in Gaming Voice Work
The integration of AI technology into video game development has raised significant ethical and financial concerns for voice actors. Following the SAG-AFTRA strike that ended in summer 2024, new contracts include protections against unauthorized AI replication of performers' voices. However, studios continue to experiment with the technology for efficiency and creativity.
Recent Examples
In December 2024, Supertrick Games revealed that generative AI was used for two character voices in Let it Die: Inferno, emphasizing that these were not modeled after any human performers to avoid copyright issues. Similarly, Embark Studios employed AI text-to-speech for non-essential NPC dialogue in Arc Raiders, with human actors training the system and receiving consent-based compensation. This approach was also used in their earlier title, The Finals, allowing the studio to handle repetitive lines without full recordings.
Embark's chief creative officer, Stefan Strandberg, previously noted that AI helps expand game scope in tedious areas while preserving human elements for dynamic performances. Yet, critics argue it undermines the nuance only actors can provide.
Unions' Response
SAG-AFTRA's Duncan Crabtree-Ireland highlighted requirements for equivalent pay for AI replicas, with rates up to 750 percent of standard fees—around $8,512.50 for a day performer. The union advocates for legal rights to control likeness and voice usage, even in non-union settings.
In the UK, Equity's Shannon Sailing pointed out varying pay rates due to lack of agreements, calling AI a 'subpar experience' that lacks emotional authenticity. Both unions stress consent, transparency, and fair remuneration as AI adoption grows.
Perspectives from Studios and Actors
Audio studio Side UK's Chris Donnelly acknowledged AI's inevitability for immersive worlds with numerous NPCs but emphasized ethical guardrails and 'human in the loop' policies to maintain quality.
Actors like Jennifer Hale (Mass Effect) urged compensation and union support to prevent underpricing, viewing human performances as a mark of quality. Alix Wilton Regan (Tomb Raider) described AI's impact as 'catastrophic,' leading to shrinking job markets, while Colin Ryan (Final Fantasy 14) criticized it as a cost-cutting measure that harms entry-level opportunities.
To counter AI abuse, Wilton Regan co-launched TIVA, an audiobook project using anti-AI 'poison-pilling' with performers like Hale and Ashly Burch, aiming to showcase human value.
Overall, while AI offers development shortcuts, the industry faces calls for regulation to safeguard creative professions amid evolving technology.
