Fortnite Devs Hit With Unfair Labour Practice Filing Following AI Darth Vader Fiasco

The voice acting organization SAG-AFTRA has submitted a complaint regarding unfair labor practices against Epic Games, the developer of Fortnite, and Llama Productions, the affiliated company for the game, due to the use of an AI-generated rendition of James Earl Jones’ voice to depict Darth Vader within the game.

In an announcement shared on its website (via gamesindustry.biz), SAG-AFTRA mentioned that it “appreciate[s] the right of our members and their estates to manage the utilization of their digital likenesses and are open to the integration of new technologies”, yet the concern lies in Epic Games and Llama Productions’ decision to “supplant the efforts of human performers with A.I. technology.”

“Regrettably, [Llama Productions] proceeded without providing any notification of their intention and without negotiating with us regarding suitable terms,” SAG-AFTRA’s statement further explains, concluding that “Consequently, we have lodged an unfair labor practice complaint with the NLRB against Llama Productions.”

In the complaint submitted to the National Labor Relations Board, the core of the charge (point 2) asserts:

“In the last six months, the Employer, through its agents and representatives, neglected and declined to negotiate in good faith with the union by making unilateral alterations to the terms and conditions of work, without notifying the union or allowing negotiation, by employing AI-generated voices to substitute bargaining unit work on the Interactive Program Fortnite.”

This situation arose following a chaotic event last Friday when, amid Fortnite’s Star Wars celebration, a new Darth Vader NPC was introduced that players could engage with. The distinction was that this NPC utilized an AI-generated voice of the legendary character’s original actor, James Earl Jones, with authorization from the late actor’s family.

Clearly, there are numerous ethical considerations regarding the use of AI-generated voiceovers, particularly since — as SAG-AFTRA highlights — many voice performers have stepped into the role of the Sith Lord over the years. So, what did fans resort to? Make the character utter some F-bombs, of course.

SAG-AFTRA represents approximately 160,000 voice actors, DJs, broadcasters, dancers, writers, editors, hosts, and more across North America. The union is currently on strike, and has been since July 26, 2024, after failing to secure a protection agreement for all performers governed by the Interactive Media Agreement relating to AI.