The Screen Actors Guild – American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) has taken a firm stance against the perceived unregulated use of artificial intelligence in video games, filing an Unfair Labor Practice (ULP) charge against Llama Productions LLC, a company wholly owned by Epic Games, the creators of the massively popular game Fortnite. The charge, submitted to the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) on May 19, 2025, alleges that Llama Productions utilized an AI-generated voice to portray the iconic character Darth Vader in Fortnite without engaging in good faith bargaining with the union. The AI-generated voice for the recently introduced Darth Vader NPC in Fortnite was developed with the consent of the estate of James Earl Jones, the legendary actor who originated the voice and passed away in September 2024. However, SAG-AFTRA contends this move unilaterally replaced the work that would typically be performed by its member voice actors. This action by SAG-AFTRA escalates the ongoing debate about AI’s role in the entertainment industry, particularly concerning performers’ rights and job security.
“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 stated. “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.” Ina addition, the ULP charge specifies that Llama Productions, a signatory to SAG-AFTRA agreements, “failed and refused to bargain in good faith with the union by making unilateral changes to terms and conditions of employment, without providing notice to the union or the opportunity to bargain, by utilizing AI-generated voices to replace bargaining unit work on the Interactive Program Fortnite.”
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Essentially, SAG-AFTRA is saying that Llama Productions (Epic Games) used new AI technology to create Darth Vader’s voice in Fortnite without talking to the union first, which they were supposed to do. If a company wants to bring in a new kind of machine that could do the job a factory worker normally does, they usually have to sit down with the workers’ union to discuss how it will affect jobs, pay, and working conditions. It’s the same in Hollywood. SAG-AFTRA argues that by just rolling out the AI Vader voice, which potentially takes work away from human voice actors who specialize in emulating the character’s gravitas, Epic Games skipped this crucial negotiation step.
Even though James Earl Jones’ family allowed his voice to be recreated in AI, SAG-AFTRA’s role is to protect its working members. To be clear, the union isn’t necessarily trying to block the use of the AI voice itself, but rather to ensure that such technology is implemented only after discussions and agreements are in place that consider the impact on human performers. They’re asking the labor board to step in because they believe the company didn’t play by the established rules of engagement.
SAG-AFTRA’s Unwavering Fight Against Unchecked AI in Hollywood
The latest confrontation with Epic Games over Fortnite‘s AI Darth Vader is a direct continuation of the larger battle SAG-AFTRA has been waging concerning artificial intelligence, a conflict that was a cornerstone of the historic 2023 Hollywood strikes. During that historic dispute, AI was a central point of contention, with widespread fears across the industry about AI’s potential to unlawfully replicate likenesses, synthesize voices, generate scripts, and ultimately displace human talent without fair consent or compensation. Those strikes resulted in groundbreaking agreements for film and television, establishing vital protections that require studios to obtain informed consent and provide equitable pay for the use of digital replicas and AI-generated performances, setting a crucial benchmark for the industry.
While those victories in the TV/film sector were significant, the battle to secure similar robust AI safeguards for performers in the video game world has been even more arduous. SAG-AFTRA members working under the Interactive Media Agreement — which covers many major game studios, including Fortnite‘s Llama Productions — have been on strike against several of these companies since July 26, 2024. This strike, now approaching its tenth month as of May 2025, is primarily fueled by the failure to reach an agreement on essential AI protections. Despite ongoing negotiations and some reported progress on other terms like pay rates, the core issues surrounding AI remain largely unresolved.
In early May 2025, SAG-AFTRA received what video game employers termed a “last, best, and final” offer. However, the union communicated to its membership that this proposal still fell short of providing adequate safeguards, particularly concerning the use of an actor’s digital replica during a strike without their explicit consent and other critical AI-related issues. The ULP charge against Llama Productions for its handling of the Darth Vader AI voice is, therefore, particularly significant, as it directly accuses a signatory company of unilaterally implementing AI in a way that impacts union work while these very principles are being fiercely contested at the bargaining table and on the picket lines.
What are your thoughts on using AI to recreate iconic character voices in video games, and how should actor protections be balanced with technological advancement? Join the discussion in the comments.
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