Voices of Halo call for support against misuse of AI

The impasse between SAG-AFTRA and video game companies has been going on for ten months, and the issue of the use of artificial intelligence continues to be the main obstacle in negotiations. Representing one of the most recognizable voices in the industry, Steve Downes, the voice of Master Chief in Halo, made a direct appeal to fans of the franchise and the gaming community in general to stand by the voice actors.

In an interview with the channel Rebs Gaming, published on May 12, 2025 on the platform X (formerly Twitter), Downes was emphatic:

“We haven't made any progress so far”, he said, referring to the negotiations that began in July 2024.
“We are really asking people who consume these games, who made Halo what it is, to express their opinion and show support.”

Alongside Downes was Jen Taylor, the voice of the character Cortana, who also expressed concern about the direction automation is taking in the voice actors' job market.
“We are not against the use of AI; we are against its misuse”, added Downes, a position that has been reinforced by several professionals in the field.

The heart of the dispute lies in the voice actors' demand to have the right to decide if, how, and when their voices can be used to generate AI replicas. Currently, there are no clear guarantees about this type of control by the actors. A video released by Rebs shows the two veterans highlighting that they joined the union precisely to fight for these rights, emphasizing that the protection of vocal property is essential in the new technological landscape.

In previous statements, actress Jennifer Hale (known for portraying Commander Shepard in the Mass Effect series) also advocated for the importance of regulation regarding the use of AI, pointing out how negotiations have been stalled due to a lack of real commitment from companies.

This is not the first strike involving video game voices. In 2016, a similar strike lasted 18 months, leading to minimal agreements on contract transparency and job security. The current situation, however, is marked by a specific impasse: the use of AI as a substitute for human work.

SAG-AFTRA is currently evaluating a proposal labeled as “Last, Best, and Final Offer” from the companies, which includes limited concessions regarding AI. It is still unclear if this proposal will be enough to end the strike.

Given the exponential growth of AI usage in the creative industry, the outcome of this dispute could set critical precedents for the future of digitized voices, vocal copyrights, and automated representation in games.