The actors’ union Sag-Aftra has filed a complaint against Fortnite publisher Epic Games, alleging the company used AI to recreate the voice of Darth Vader without informing or bargaining with the union. The complaint, submitted to the US National Labor Relations Board, asserts that Epic unilaterally replaced human voice actors with AI-generated voices, violating labor agreements. While James Earl Jones’s estate approved the use of his voice for the AI-powered character, Sag-Aftra argues that broader union negotiations are needed to protect voice actors’ rights in an era of advancing generative AI. The dispute highlights growing concerns over AI technology potentially replacing human performers in entertainment, and it comes amid ongoing strikes and negotiations around digital voice rights in the gaming industry.
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