SAG-AFTRA has filed unfair labor charges against Epic Games in a dramatic crescendo over the AI re-creation of Darth Vader’s voice in Fortnite. The union complains that Epic wrongfully replaced human performers through the AI technology without any notice or negotiation-and the internet, a perfect divide, is now split on whether it is a real issue or corporate happy-hour drama.
According to the union statement, Epic decided to forsake live talents and cut across sci-fi waters by using AI to mimic that iconic James Earl Jones voice. That is truly the union’s biggest grievance: No prior notice, let alone an attempt to cross through any negotiations for terms. In come the complications-good versus bad: The whole thing is torn in the court of public opinion, with few fans asking if the union actually has any say when supposedly even James Earl Jones’ family has given them clearance on it.
The answer to the original tweet is itself a battlefield, with @GamemasterYado declaring plainly, “Didn’t they get permission from his family? That’s all that matters.” Yet others were forced to give opinions with @ExoDieVerbotene saying AI-generated voices for this work are “soulless slop.” Then there’s a little bit of shade from @ZTriggerDX at the union: “I’d throw a giant fit too if I saw that I had outlived my usefulness.” Ouch.
But the problem is a very serious one. And their claim is frightening: this is contract-related, not ethics. @NF48592167 states, “The problem isn’t about Jones’ voice rights: the problem is that Epic might have breached its labor agreement with SAG-AFTRA by going around union talent.” And yes, it does matter if that is true, because conversations about what unions are there for are to protect workers-from things like this: companies looking for shortcuts to saving a buck.
And then there’s the whole “What about tomorrow?” argument. @mercantilefrog joked that, “If I died and someone used AI to use my voice like a skin puppet, I’d haunt their ass.” Behind the jokes lies the real concern: if AI can just reproduce legendary performances, then what about the new generation of voice actors, and where are we heading if studios are just going to recycle old voices instead of paying new talents?
Epic has made no official comment to date on the charges, but the backlash is heating up, with some in the fan community rallying to SAG-AFTRA’s side while others consider the union to be a little bit over-the-top. @mask_bastard, however, proclaimed the incident to be “the no-fun guild strikes again.”
But this is not at all a Fortnite problem. It’s just one little peek into what appears to be a brutally competitive terrain as AI is fast encroaching into the creative sphere. Whether you think SAG-AFTRA is in the right or just being obstinate, the precedent this case sets will be enormous. And with AI only increasing in capability, which only means many more skirmishes between studios and unions.
Popcorn-a-go-go. The drama is just beginning.
