The first SAG-AFTRA (Screen Actors Guild – American Federation of Television and Radio Artists) agreement has been reached, and a studio has dropped its protest against AI.

Union members can now work with Tencent’s Lightspeed LA studio on Last Sentinel, as the agreement gives actors better rights. They don’t have to worry about losing their voices to the artificial intelligence that protected them. The Last Sentinel will be a narrative-driven open-world action game, with Troy Baker also working on it as writer and director. Lightspeed LA also opened a performance capture facility in July.

“Lightspeed LA has always recognized and valued the irreplaceable role of talent in bringing creativity, innovation and the human touch to video games. Supporting our performers is the right thing to do, and there was never any hesitation in considering the performer protections that anchor this agreement. We want to thank Duncan Crabtree-Ireland [SAG-AFTRA National Executive Director and Chief Negotiator] and everyone at SAG-AFTRA for their openness and cooperation in reaching this agreement. On behalf of the Lightspeed LA team, we cannot wait to share the amazing world and narrative gameplay experience we are creating with the help of our outstanding cast,” said studio president Steve Martin in a statement.

Sarah Elmaleh, chair of the union’s Interactive Media Agreement bargaining committee, added: “This strike has always been as much about starting work with proper AI protections as it is about stopping work without them. Lightspeed LA understands how important these protections are to actors and has shown an outstanding commitment not only to this cast, but to their future casts. They have made their genuine appreciation of actors as contributors tangible and powerful. I am thrilled about this partnership and cannot wait to see what this talented team of developers and performers will create together.”

So who’s next?

Source: Gamesindustry