In a recent social media post, actor Ned Luke, famous for his role as Michael in Grand Theft Auto V, publicly criticized Web3 company WAME for creating an AI audio chatbot based on his character. The chatbot used Luke’s voice to generate realistic conversations with players. Luke expressed his dissatisfaction with WAME’s AI interpretation, calling it “bullshit” and a “lame computer estimation” of his voice. He urged fans not to waste their time on such impersonations.
Luke’s tweet caught the attention of fellow actor Roger Clark, known for his role as Arthur Morgan in Red Dead Redemption 2, who had previously defended the use of AI to imitate voices in a separate X post. Clark questioned why some people seemed to resent regular working actors and hoped they would gain a different perspective if AI started copying their voices for fraudulent purposes, such as during phone conversations with banks.
The discussion surrounding AI voice replication reached a boiling point when actors’ union SAG-AFTRA announced a controversial new deal aimed at protecting actors from unauthorized AI replications of their voices. However, the agreement allowed AI firm Replica Studios to create and license digital replicas of actors’ voices for use in video game development and other interactive media projects. This decision faced backlash from several voice actors, including Erika Ishii from Apex Legends and Elias Toufexis from Starfield, who claimed they were not consulted or given the opportunity to approve the agreement.
Xander Mobus, renowned as the announcer in Super Smash Bros, criticized SAG-AFTRA for not involving the actors in the decision-making process and reminded them that they are a labor union and not licensors.
The use of AI voice replication continues to be a contentious topic within the entertainment industry, raising questions about the rights and artistic integrity of performers. As technologies advance, it remains to be seen how this ongoing dispute will be resolved and how it will affect the future of voice acting in gaming and other forms of media.
The source of the article is from the blog smartphonemagazine.nl