How SAG-AFTRA union views AI and gaming negotiations | Sarah Elmaleh interview

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Voice actor Sarah Elmaleh recently spoke at the Game Developers Conference about her role as chair of a union committee for SAG-AFTRA. This committee is currently negotiating with the game industry regarding the impact of AI on performers who bring video game characters to life.

Elmaleh, known for her work in triple-A games like Helldivers 2, Hi-Fi Rush, and Halo Infinite, as well as in indies such as Afterparty, Pyre, and Gone Home, is deeply involved in these negotiations due to the direct impact they will have on her livelihood.

As the chair of the Interactive Media Agreement Negotiating Committee, Elmaleh collaborates closely with the union’s lawyers in the negotiation process.

With a wide range of directing credits and a leading voice in the games industry and academia, Elmaleh’s role in organizing, advising, and educating is pivotal in the ongoing negotiations between SAG-AFTRA interactive performers and video game companies.

GamesBeat: What’s union life been like?

Sarah Elmaleh: It’s been busy and very active. It takes up a lot of my brain space.

GamesBeat: Can you talk about what you’re responsible for at GDC and in the union in general?

Elmaleh: I joined the committee a few years ago and was later asked to serve as chair. My role involves facilitating committee conversations and managing negotiations for the interactive media agreement, the main agreement that covers interactive work for SAG-AFTRA performer members. The current negotiations have focused on AI protections to ensure equal transparency, consent, and compensation for all performers involved.

GamesBeat: What is the conversation like as it goes back and forth in negotiations?

Elmaleh: The focus is on ensuring transparency, consent, and compensation for performers. Negotiations are driven by creating an ethical framework to address AI protections and the impact on performers in the gaming industry.

Continuing the conversation about AI and the gaming industry, Elmaleh elaborates on the risks and benefits and the importance of ethical considerations in utilizing AI in performance capture.

Conversation continues about the negotiation process, the importance of transparency, consent, and compensation, and the challenges and benefits of utilizing AI technology in the gaming industry.