SAG-AFTRA Files Labor Complaint Against Epic Games Over AI Voice Actor Replacement
The Screen Actors Guild–American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) has escalated its battle against artificial intelligence in entertainment, filing a formal complaint with the U.S. National Labor Relations Board against Epic Games subsidiary Llama Productions. The union alleges unauthorized replacement of human voice actors with AI systems in Fortnite, bypassing required collective bargaining.
The dispute gained urgency following last week’s controversy involving an AI-generated Darth Vader character that reportedly produced offensive language. This marks the latest flashpoint in Hollywood’s growing tensions over generative AI’s role in creative industries, coming just months after the union’s historic strike over similar concerns.
