Video Game Performers Secure AI Consent Rules in New SAG-AFTRA Deal

Nine major video game studies have agreed to agree to artificial intelligence performers, a ratification of an agreement that ends one of the longest impacts of entertainment industry due to AI rights and forces a playing company to work according to the same standards of work as traditional Hollywood studies.

The vote on ratification, certified on Wednesday, was recorded by 95.04% of members who approved the 2025 SAG-Aftra interactive media agreement.

It provides a immediate blow of 15.17%, followed by three annual increases of 3%, but also “requests for consent and detection for the use of a digital replica AI replica” and “the ability of the performer to suspend new material during the strike”, states, ” A statement of the Union.

The agreement enters into force immediately and ends almost one year strike that started last July Through unresolved disputes over generative AI, replication of voice and protection of work in the video game industry.

“We set a precedent for how the United States, and the United States, and around the world, will be treated,” said SAG-Aftra spokesman Zeke Alton then then Decipher.

The new agreement includes major studies, including Activision, Electronic Arts, Disney’s characters, WB games and taking 2 productions.

Overtime rates for excessive performers are now calculating on a double scale. Excessive contractors are paid more than the minimum ladder of the Union. Meanwhile, the rates of health and retirement contributions jump from 16.5% to 17% and then 17.5% by October 2026. According to the statement.

“Every voice or similarity generated by AI must carry the cryptographic evidence of consent, not a vague Footnote for licensing,” said Hitesh Bhardwaj, co -founder in Capx AI, said Decipher.

“The tool is ready and we can guide them and anchor in real -time public books,” he added, “but if the independent body of the standard, not the study, does not hold the keys, Big Tech will continue to patch up around the rules.”

The deal depended on what the chairman of the negotiating committee Sarah Elmaleh called “the language of a suspension strike”, ensuring that AI could not replace striking performers with digital versions of themselves.

“If they decide to retain their work by using this tool, you should not have what is an unprecedented type of scab – which means that the arm is to replace their work with a really simulation of themselves,” Elmaleh said Diversity.

Sag-Aftra hit against film and TV producers from July 14 to November 9, 2023, Ensuring protection For “digital replicas based on employment” created by the participation of the actor and the “independently created digital replica” made of archives.

In California, the state legislators responded the adoption of legislation demanding both the consent and approval of the property for commercial use of digital replicas, dead or living.

Hollywood actors sounded alarms about AI threats during 2024.

Robert Downey Jr. said to Podcast last October that he would “sue all future executives” who tried to create digital replicas From his character Iron Man without approval, declaring “My law firm will still be very active” even after his death.

At the Newport Beach Film Festival in October 2024, Nicolas Cage called Ai “Inadvertent” and told young actors that technology “wanted to take your instrument.”

But the tension of industry in May increased after Ai-Generate Darth Vader in Fortnit used offensive language, stimulating SAG-Afttra to submit costs Against EPIC LLALA PRODUCTIONS, stating that he used AI votes without union consent.

According to the new video game contract, companies must give a notification in advance and provide explicit consent before using AI to re -replicate the voices, faces or movement movements.

The contract covers about 160,000 members of SAG-AFTRA who have been forbidden to work on video game projects since July 2024.