Jennifer Hale has been a fumbling alien, a screaming six-year-old and a superhero who saves the world. The voice actor, whose work in animation and video games includes “Avatar: The Last Airbender,” “Star Wars: The Clone Wars,” “Baldur’s Gate,” “X-Men ’97” and countless more, is one of the most recognizable voices in video games.

Currently, the gaming industry is at a halt after SAG-AFTRA called a strike against the major video game publishers on July 25. The strike was called after more than a year of negotiations, and it echoes the actors and writers strikes of last year. Like the dual strikes, AI is a major sticking point in the union’s talks.

“AI is a threat to all of us,” Hale warns. “Because AI is essentially a tool, like a hammer. Just as a hammer can be used to build a house, it can also be used to inflict harm and destroy who you are.”

Hale emphasizes the existential nature of this conflict makes this strike especially challenging. She states SAG-AFTRA ’s latest counter offer to video game companies has been included in the current interim agreement signed by almost 70 developers.

The actor highlights how the National Association of Voice Actors has presented congressional bills such as the “NO FAKES Act,” which would safeguard individuals’ voice and visual likeness against generative AI. She encourages fans to contact their representatives to urge them to vote in favor of these bills.

“If you use something that originates from our bodies or our voices, shouldn’t we be compensated?” Hale asks. “Because currently, technology is being used to deprive us of the ability to provide for our families.”

One of the first video game franchises Hale worked on was “Metal Gear,” where she voiced Naomi Hunter, the female lead. Hale explains she was paid the standard rate for two sessions, totaling $1,200, while the game itself generated a revenue of around $176 million.

“My plea is for everyone to ask the fundamental question: ‘There’s a lot of money being generated, where is it going?’ In the current system, under the concept of shareholder supremacy, the vast majority of this wealth flows to the top 1%. If you funnel so much money to a select few, you can’t even support the very people who made it possible.”