The gaming industry now faces another challenge, but this time it's a final boss level. The actors announced a strike against major video game companies because of AI technology. I feel this standoff was inevitable, looking at how rapidly AI tech has advanced.
What's always exciting for any gamer is the voice acting and motion capture performance that brings life to some of their favorite characters. Now AI can just jump in and replicate human performances, which begs questions about how that will affect performers dedicating their careers to such motions.
The Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists is leading the charge on this battle. They want language inserted in contracts that would provide performers with protection against AI exploitation. Just think about it: pouring your heart into a performance, then having that voice with its likeness copied, without even the promise of fair compensation for it—that's really very unsettling.
Video game companies say they have conceded enough. Be that as it may, I'm not convinced altogether. For an annual multibillion-dollar industry, there will seem to be some room for compromise that will treat performers fairly but still enable the advancement of technology.
The scenario is just too familiar to the recent Hollywood shutdown. Though tough, it's been a real fight by actors and writers for better pay and AI protection, and they had won. I'm really hoping we're going to be able to see something like that replicated in the gaming industry.
The recent strike may feel awkward now, but it will very timely lead into some pressing future-of-work discussions in the digital age.
As much as I am a gamer and love seeing the advancement in the technology of gaming, I want those people bringing those virtual worlds to life to help make it happen. Hopefully, all disputes are solved soon, without too much of an impact on delaying the release of these games.
Ultimately, I believe there's room for both AI and human performers in game development. It's not about replacing the human; it's basically how these two, talent and technology, are allowed to coexist.