Ever since the early 20th century, the science fiction vision of the future included robots who were predicted to free humans from everyday drudgery. Everything from pulp fiction magazines to scientific journals predicted that washing dishes, mowing lawns, and doing laundry would all be things of the past when the robots ushered in our luxurious and comfortable future.
It has not turned out that way. Instead of humanoid robots like the Roboto guards made famous in an early 80s rock opera concept album, the computerized future staring us in the face is called Artificial Intelligence (AI). And it is not doing our dishes, it is replacing our creative and artistic work.
Last week, actors who portray characters in video games went on strike concerning the use of AI and its potential to erase humans from the field.
Video game actress Jennifer Hale says actors feel like “nothing more than a commodity” to generate profit for gaming companies when they see those companies using invisible computer algorithms to do the job that artists used to do. Hales said “they’re crushing human beings” in “blind pursuit of money,” which she called “disgusting.”
Hale has some clout to throw around in the conversation. She has starred in the massively popular game series Mass Effect, as well as other titles such as Samus Aran. Millions of gamers instantly recognize her smooth and modulated voice. She’s on the picket lines with 2,500 other actors who are members of the SAG-AFTRA union who work in video games.
The striking actors are hoping to put pressure on Disney, EA, Activision, Warner Brothers, and other giants in video game creation. They want their bosses to agree to talk about protecting actors from being made obsolete by disembodied computer programs.
The actors’ fears are not unfounded. Off-the-shelf consumer grade AI systems today can produce motion video and sound so close to life that almost anyone would be fooled. Popular actor Tom Hanks learned this the hard way when he discovered a dental commercial using an AI-created version of “him” without his authorization.
Hale gave an example, saying that companies could take her extensive catalog of existing motion images and sound, “feed them into a machine,” and turn out an entirely new game featuring “her” that she had nothing to do with. For these actors, there’s a real question about how much control they have over their own image, likeness, or even personhood.
The strike began on July 25 when the union could not come to terms with company bosses. They have agreed on numerous issues, but AI is still on the table and there’s no meeting of the minds yet.
