The SAG-AFTRA voice actors strike is now in its 10th month, and prominent voice actors are asking fans to speak up for the people behind their beloved game characters. In a recent interview, Master Chief voice actor Steve Downes spoke on the issue of AI voice acting that has fueled the ongoing strike, appealing to fans to support the actors' fight.
Speaking to Rebs Gaming in a clip posted to X, Downes explained that the "single issue" of the strike is now the use of AI, and ensuring that voice actors have a say over how--or if--their voices are used for AI replicas.
"We haven't been able to make any progress with that at all so far," Downes says of the strike that started last July. "So we're really asking the people who consume this game, who made Halo what it is, to voice their opinion about this and show support."
"We're not against the use of AI; we're just against the misuse of it," Downes added, a statement that was backed up by Cortana voice actor Jen Taylor.
Prolific voice actor Jennifer Hale also weighed in on the strike earlier this year, explaining why the issue of AI is so important. Hale also added some perspective on the process of negotiations, and why it has been so difficult to make progress on reaching an agreement.
Video game voice actors previously undertook industrial action in 2016, in a strike that ended up lasting 18 months. While the two parties have found common ground on a number of issues this time, AI is proving to be the sticking point in this battle. SAG-AFTRA is currently considering a "Last, Best, and Final" offer from video game companies with a few AI concessions, but it's yet to be seen if it will be enough to end the strike.
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Speaking to Rebs Gaming in a clip posted to X, Downes explained that the "single issue" of the strike is now the use of AI, and ensuring that voice actors have a say over how--or if--their voices are used for AI replicas.
"We haven't been able to make any progress with that at all so far," Downes says of the strike that started last July. "So we're really asking the people who consume this game, who made Halo what it is, to voice their opinion about this and show support."
"We're not against the use of AI; we're just against the misuse of it," Downes added, a statement that was backed up by Cortana voice actor Jen Taylor.
Here’s an interview clip from the event of Steve Downes and Jen Taylor explaining they joined SAG AFTRA to help establish voice actors rights over AI and are asking Halo fans to help support them. Specifically, the rights they want are deciding if their voice can be used, how… https://t.co/5isUGc9AQn pic.twitter.com/d3iqyc7l6O
— Rebs Gaming (@Mr_Rebs_) May 12, 2025
Prolific voice actor Jennifer Hale also weighed in on the strike earlier this year, explaining why the issue of AI is so important. Hale also added some perspective on the process of negotiations, and why it has been so difficult to make progress on reaching an agreement.
Video game voice actors previously undertook industrial action in 2016, in a strike that ended up lasting 18 months. While the two parties have found common ground on a number of issues this time, AI is proving to be the sticking point in this battle. SAG-AFTRA is currently considering a "Last, Best, and Final" offer from video game companies with a few AI concessions, but it's yet to be seen if it will be enough to end the strike.
Source