UK Screen Sector Faces AI Threat as US Video Game Actor Strike Concludes

The recent conclusion of a nearly year-long strike by video game actors in the United States marks a significant moment in the ongoing discourse surrounding the impact of artificial intelligence (AI) on the entertainment industry. The Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) announced a tentative agreement with major game studios on June 12, 2025, after extensive negotiations that involved more than 2,500 performers who had been barred from working on affected games during the strike.

Duncan Crabtree-Ireland, SAG-AFTRA's national executive director, stated, "Patience and persistence has resulted in a deal that puts in place the necessary AI guardrails that defend performers' livelihoods in the AI age, alongside other important gains." The agreement includes historic wage increases of over 24% for performers, enhanced health and safety protections, and industry-leading provisions requiring transparency, consent, and compensation for the use of digital replicas in games.

Among the major studios involved in the strike were Activision, Electronic Arts, and Disney Character Voices, all of which faced significant disruptions as actors took industrial action in solidarity with their American counterparts. Audrey Cooling, a spokesperson for the video game producers, remarked, "We are pleased to have reached a tentative contract agreement that reflects the important contributions of SAG-AFTRA-represented performers in video games."

While the US actors' strike has ended, concerns loom large over the implications of AI within the UK's screen sector. Earlier this week, the British Film Institute (BFI) released a report emphasizing the risks posed by AI technologies, categorizing them as a "direct threat" to the UK screen industry, including video games. The report highlighted that the scripts of over 130,000 films and TV shows, along with YouTube videos and databases of pirated books, have been utilized to train AI models, raising questions about the potential displacement of human talent in creative fields.

Experts are particularly worried about the impact of AI on voice actors in video games. George Osborn, author of the "Video Games Industry Memo," noted that AI's capability to generate generic sound effects could threaten actors who specialize in creating unique voices for characters. He stated, "The generic stuff is the easiest thing for generative AI to replace. Just saying to the model, 'make 200 monster noises' is much easier than convincingly making AI sound like it is having a conversation with someone."

Despite the strike’s conclusion, the video game industry remains on high alert regarding AI's implications. Unlike the SAG-AFTRA actors' strike in 2023, which led to substantial delays in film productions, the nature of video game development means that significant delays are less likely. Most games already in development before September 2023 were exempt from the strike, and the timeline for game production spans several years.

As tensions rise within the community of video game actors, the industry is observing an increasing trend where studios appear to hire international talent to circumvent the strike's restrictions on US performers. This shift raises further concerns about the sustainability of the industry and the protection of performers' rights in the face of evolving technology.

In conclusion, the end of the US video game actor strike may provide a temporary respite for performers, but the looming threat of AI and its potential to disrupt the industry underscores the necessity for ongoing dialogue and protective measures. As the UK sector grapples with these challenges, the need for robust agreements similar to those achieved in the US becomes ever more pronounced, ensuring that the contributions of human talent are recognized and safeguarded in an increasingly automated landscape.