Can AI Replicate a Man on Fire? Video Game Performers Seek Protection

LOS ANGELES (AP) — For hours, motion capture sensors tracked Noshir Dalal’s movements as he unleashed aerial strikes, overhead blows, and single-handed attacks for a video game. He eventually swung a sledgehammer so many times that he tore a tendon in his forearm. By the end of the day, he couldn’t even pull the handle of his car door open.

The physical strain and long hours involved in this type of work are why Dalal believes all video-game performers should be protected equally from the unregulated use of artificial intelligence (AI).

Video game performers fear AI could reduce or eliminate job opportunities by replicating their performances without consent. This concern led the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) to go on strike in late July.

“If motion-capture actors only make money for the day they work, that can be a slippery slope,” said Dalal, who played Bode Akuna in “Star Wars Jedi: Survivor.” “Instead of bringing us back, they might use AI and not tell us. That’s why transparency and compensation are crucial in AI protections.”

Hollywood’s video game performers announced a work stoppage after more than 18 months of negotiations with game industry giants broke down over AI protections. While performers aren’t opposed to AI, they worry that the technology could displace them from their roles.

Dalal was particularly upset when he heard that video game companies negotiating with SAG-AFTRA wanted to consider some movement work as mere “data” rather than performance.

“If gamers compare cut scenes with hours spent controlling characters and interacting with non-player characters, they’d see they interact with ‘movers’ and stunt performers’ work more than mine,” he said. “They are the ones selling the world these games live in.”

Actors argue that AI could strip less-experienced actors of the chance to land smaller roles, which are often stepping stones to larger opportunities. Unchecked AI use could also lead to ethical issues if their voices or likenesses are used in ways they don’t morally agree with. This issue surfaced with game “mods,” such as when AI was used to clone voices for pornographic content in the game “Skyrim.”

In video game motion capture, actors wear special suits with markers. They perform basic movements and more involved actions. Animators use these recordings to create responsive actions within the game.

“AI allows game developers to generate animations automatically from past recordings,” said Brian Smith, an assistant professor at Columbia University’s Department of Computer Science. “No longer do studios need new recordings for every game type. They can use their archive of past animation.”

A studio could use motion capture from a previous game to create a new character, using stored recordings as training data for generative AI.

A spokesperson for the video game producers, Audrey Cooling, said the studios offered “meaningful” AI protections. However, SAG-AFTRA’s committee argued that the definition of who constitutes a “performer” is key to understanding who would be protected.

Cooling highlighted proposals with terms to protect performers’ rights while allowing advanced technology for a great gaming experience. The studios proposed consent and fair compensation for AI reproduction or digital replicas of performances.

The studios also offered wage increases, including an initial 7% increase in scale rates and a 7.64% increase effective in November, totaling a 14.5% increase over the contract’s life. They also agreed to higher per diems, overnight travel payments, and boosted overtime rates and bonus payments.

“Our goal is to reach an agreement that will end this strike,” Cooling said.

A 2023 report on the global games market from Newzoo predicted more AI-generated voices in video games. Developers might use AI to produce unique voices, reducing the need for voice actors. This could limit future opportunities for voice actors as developers aim to cut development costs and time.

Actor Ben Prendergast noted that data points collected for motion capture don’t capture the essence of an actor’s performance. AI-generated voices also lack the nuanced choices that go into significant scenes, or strenuous efforts like long screams to portray a character’s death.

“The big issue is that someone, somewhere has this data, and I now have no control over it,” said Prendergast, who voices Fuse in “Apex Legends.” “Someone can use that data to create a new character that sounds like me without my knowledge until the game releases.”

Studios could “get away with that” unless SAG-AFTRA secures the AI protections they are fighting for.

“It’s similar to sampling in music where artists got around sampling classic songs,” he said. “This is an art. If you don’t protect these rights now, you can’t protect humans in other endeavors.”

Source: AP News, Newzoo