21 May - Following news that the online gaming platform "Fortnite" is using AI to regenerate James Earl Jones' voice as the character Darth Vader, SAG-AFTRA announced that it will be filing unfair labour practice in response to the news. On 19 May, the spokesperson of SAG-AFTRA revealed that the filing that was made with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) is against Llama Productions over Fortnite's agreement with the late James Earl Jones' estate to use his voice for a feature that allows players to have conversations with the character. "We celebrate the right of our members and their estates to control the use of their digital replicas and welcome the use of new technologies to allow new generations to share in the enjoyment of those legacies and renowned roles," said the spokesperson. "However, we must protect our right to bargain terms and conditions around uses of voice that replace the work of our members, including those who previously did the work of matching Darth Vader's iconic rhythm and tone in video games."
SAG-AFTRA said that the Fortnite's aforementioned signatory company, which is a subsidiary of gaming giant Epic Games, chose to replace the work of human performers with AI technology without providing any notice of their intent to do so and without bargaining with the guild over appropriate terms. It is noted that prior to the advent of AI, Disney and its partner game studios used voice actors who would mimic Jones' distinctive tone for characters that the actor has voiced.