Blizzard Must Now Discuss, Evaluate, and Bargain AI Usage with Developers Under New Union Contract

Blizzard Entertainment's union, working with the Communications Workers of America, has signed a landmark contract with the studio. The agreement forces Blizzard to discuss, evaluate, and bargain any time it wants to introduce generative AI in the workplace. This contract impacts approximately 1900 workers from across the studio, including staff working on World of Warcraft, Hearthstone, quality assurance, Overwatch, and Diablo.

The contract follows two years of development. In addition to regulating artificial intelligence usage, the agreement secures wage increases, grievance procedures, a three-day in-office hybrid workweek, just cause protections, remote work, and disability accommodations. Regarding artificial intelligence, the rules mean that Microsoft cannot simply enforce usage from the top down as it has done previously in its software development divisions.

The agreement also introduces protections against industry layoffs, granting workers the right to be recalled into open positions across any Blizzard bargaining unit for 14 months from a layoff announcement date. Union workers also secured an extra four weeks of severance regardless of their tenure. Simon Hedrick, a quality assurance worker and bargaining committee member, stated that the changes will help make the games industry a better place for workers and players alike.