Latest news with #LlamaProductions
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
SAG-AFTRA sues Epic Games over AI used for Darth Vader's voice in Fortnite
LOS ANGELES — Hollywood's actors' union filed an unfair labor practice charge against Llama Productions on Monday, alleging the company replaced actors' work by using artificial intelligence to generate Darth Vader's voice in Fortnite without notice. The Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists said Llama Productions, a subsidiary of gaming giant Epic Games, 'failed and refused to bargain in good faith with the union' in the last six months. The company made unilateral changes to the terms and conditions of employment 'without providing notice to the union or the opportunity to bargain' by using AI-generated voices to replace bargaining unit work, SAG-AFTRA said. Epic Games did not immediately respond to a request for comment. SAG-AFTRA called a strike against major game companies in July after more than a year of negotiations around the union's interactive media agreement broke down over concerns around the use of unregulated artificial intelligence. In a statement, SAG-AFTRA said the union supports the rights of members and their estates to control the use of their digital replicas. '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,' the union said.
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Fortnite's AI-James Earl Jones Darth Vader Voice Faces Unfair Practice Charge
The controversy around 's use of AI for the voice of Darth Vader has entered litigious territory with the Screen Actors Guild–American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) filing an unfair labor practice charge against Llama Productions, a signatory to the union's agreement. Notably, Llama Productions is a subsidiary of Epic Games, the publisher of Fortnite. The SAG-AFTRA filed a complaint against Llama Productions with the US National Labor Relations Board (NLRB). The union accused the Epic Games-owned company of making 'unilateral changes to terms and conditions of employment' for Fortnite's AI-rendered voice for Darth Vader. SAG-AFTRA claimed that Llama Productions did so 'without providing notice to the union or the opportunity to bargain, by utilizing AI-generated voices to replace bargaining unit work.' Notably, the game allows players to interact with Vader, recruit him for their mission, and even fight against him. The late actor James Earl Jones, who provided the voice for Vader for multiple entries in the Star Wars franchise, reportedly permitted the use of archived recordings of his voice for AI re-creations. Jones' family allowed his voice to be used in Fortnite (via Variety). However, SAG-AFTRA claimed that they had not cleared the use of AI for Vader's voice. '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,' the union noted in a statement. Several outlets have since reached out to Epic Games for comments without any success. In mid-2023, SAG-AFTRA launched a strike over a labor dispute with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP). One of the main points of contention was the usage of AI and digital recreation. Although that one ended in November 2023, the union started a labor strike in July 2024 against the American video game companies that had accepted its Interactive Media Agreements. At the time of this article's composition, that strike is still ongoing. Originally reported by Tamal Kundu on SuperHeroHype. The post Fortnite's AI-James Earl Jones Darth Vader Voice Faces Unfair Practice Charge appeared first on - Movie Trailers, TV & Streaming News, and More.
Indian Express
21-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Indian Express
SAG-AFTRA files unfair labor practice charge over use of AI to make Darth Vader's voice in Fortnite
Hollywood's actors' union filed an unfair labor practice charge against Llama Productions on Monday, alleging the company replaced actors' work by using artificial intelligence to generate Darth Vader's voice in Fortnite without notice. The Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists said Llama Productions, a subsidiary of gaming giant Epic Games, 'failed and refused to bargain in good faith with the union' in the last six months. The company made unilateral changes to the terms and conditions of employment 'without providing notice to the union or the opportunity to bargain' by using AI-generated voices to replace bargaining unit work, SAG-AFTRA Games did not immediately respond to a request for comment. SAG-AFTRA called a strike against major game companies in July after more than a year of negotiations around the union's interactive media agreement broke down over concerns around the use of unregulated artificial intelligence. In a statement, SAG-AFTRA said the union supports the rights of members and their estates to control the use of their digital replicas. '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,' the union said.
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Fortnite's AI Darth Vader voice prompts complaint from Hollywood actors' union
Hollywood's actors' union filed an unfair labor practice charge against Llama Productions on Monday, alleging the company replaced actors' work by using artificial intelligence to generate Darth Vader's voice in Fortnite without notice. The Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists said Llama Productions, a subsidiary of gaming giant Epic Games, 'failed and refused to bargain in good faith with the union' in the last six months. The company made unilateral changes to the terms and conditions of employment 'without providing notice to the union or the opportunity to bargain' by using AI-generated voices to replace bargaining unit work, SAG-AFTRA said. Epic Games did not immediately respond to a request for comment. SAG-AFTRA called a strike against major game companies in July after more than a year of negotiations around the union's interactive media agreement broke down over concerns around the use of unregulated artificial intelligence. In a statement, SAG-AFTRA said the union supports the rights of members and their estates to control the use of their digital replicas. '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,' the union said.
CNN
21-05-2025
- Entertainment
- CNN
Fortnite's AI Darth Vader voice prompts complaint from Hollywood actors' union
Hollywood's actors' union filed an unfair labor practice charge against Llama Productions on Monday, alleging the company replaced actors' work by using artificial intelligence to generate Darth Vader's voice in Fortnite without notice. The Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists said Llama Productions, a subsidiary of gaming giant Epic Games, 'failed and refused to bargain in good faith with the union' in the last six months. The company made unilateral changes to the terms and conditions of employment 'without providing notice to the union or the opportunity to bargain' by using AI-generated voices to replace bargaining unit work, SAG-AFTRA said. Epic Games did not immediately respond to a request for comment. SAG-AFTRA called a strike against major game companies in July after more than a year of negotiations around the union's interactive media agreement broke down over concerns around the use of unregulated artificial intelligence. In a statement, SAG-AFTRA said the union supports the rights of members and their estates to control the use of their digital replicas. '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,' the union said.
