Summary
SAG-AFTRA, the world’s largest union representing performers across multiple industries, is going afterEpic Games. This comes after Epic launched anAI Darth Vader chatbotinFortnite, allowing players to speak with the character, whichuses the voice of the late James Earl Jones.
In response to this, SAG-AFTRA has launched an unfair labour practice charge against Epic’s signature company, Llama Productions, for replacing the work of human actors with AI. This comes asSAG-AFTRA continues its strike against the gaming industry, which is over concerns about AI acting in games.
SAG-AFTRA Files Unfair Labour Practice Charge Over Fortnite’s AI Darth Vader
“We celebrate the right of our members and their estates to control the use of their digital replicas and welcome the use of new technologies to allow new generations to share in the enjoyment of those legacies and renowned roles,” SAG-AFTRA’sstatementreads. “However, we must protect our right to bargain terms and conditions around uses of voice that replace the work of our members, including those who previously did the work of matching Darth Vader’s iconic rhythm and tone in video games.”
This references the fact that the best-known actor to portray Vader, James Earl Jones, agreed to have his voice replicated by AIfor the Disney+ show, Obi-Wan Kenobi. The agreement also meant that his voice could be replicated after he passed away, with his family approving of the collaboration with Fortnite.
However, Jones is far from the only actor to portray Vader. Scott Lawrence has the most credits for Vader in video games, playing the character from 1994’s Star Wars: TIE Fight, all the way to Star Wars Jedi: Survivor in 2023. Since Lawrence’s voice is what we would usually hear in a video game, it makes sense that SAG-AFTRA considers this a case of AI stealing work from a human actor.
In the statement, SAG-AFTRA says that Epic did not negotiate with the union before rolling AI Vader out in its game. Epic was also named in SAG-AFTRA’s announcement that its members would be striking against the industry, citing a failure to protect actors against the growing use of generative AI.
