Netflix Contract Sparks Ire Over Voice Acting Amid WGA Strike, AI Debate

Hollywood is in trouble. If you haven't heard yet, the entire film industry in the U.S. is on shaky legs right now. Following concerning talks of AI in entertainment, pressure in Hollywood erupted last week as the Writer's Guild of America went on strike. Everything from film to television and beyond is now in flux as major studios across the U.S. have yet to find common ground with WGA executives. And now, Netflix has sparked anger online as one of its controversial contracts has surfaced.

The update comes from The New York Times as the publication dove deep into the ongoing war in Hollywood. Some of the biggest studios in America have resisted demands from the WGA regarding fair pay in the streaming era, but issues have come down with advancing tech. To be specific, AI issues were brought up in this year's WGA negotiations, and the NYT says a contract by Netflix shows how real the threat of tech can be for voice actors.

According to the WGA, the group is adamant that no literary material produced by members can be touched by chatbots like ChatGPT or other AI tools. The group is also demanding studios not use AI for generating source material that would then be adapted into scripts and the like. In this NYT article, a representative from the SAG-AFTRA union that represents actors in Hollywood said AI is going beyond simple source material. Some members have flagged contracts that include clauses that give studios the right "to use their voices to generate new performances."

So, what does that look like in ink? The NYT shared a clause from a recent Netflix contract that gives the studio "free use of a simulation" of a talent's voice "by all technologies and processes now known or hereafter developed, throughout the universe and in perpetuity." Duncan Crabtree-Ireland, the executive director of SAG-AFTRA, says these clauses could snowball into obsolescence for actors just starting their careers.

As you can imagine, these clauses are damning to whoever signs them regardless of their fame. This goes double for most voice actors who stay in animation and anime for work. There is a greater safety net for actors like Chris Pratt voicing Mario in animation versus lesser-known actors in the public eye. As technology advances, tools like AI will shift the world in wonderful ways, but some boundaries must be set in place for creatives. And now that this Netflix contract has surfaced, public opinion is swirling amidst the ongoing WGA strike.

What do you make of this latest WGA Strike update? Do you believe voice acting is at risk because of AI? Share your thoughts with us in the comments section below or hit me up on Twitter @MeganPetersCB.