Video game voice actors outraged by union's 'garbage' deal on AI voices
Mark Abramson/The New York Times
Prominent voice actors have criticised a deal between the SAG-AFTRA union and Replica Studios that allows the use of AI voices in video games.
Here's What We Know
Many artists believe the deal goes against the aims of the Hollywood strike. Fallout and Mortal Kombat voice actor Sunil Malhotra said that "sacrificed to strike half of last year to keep my profession alive, not shop around my AI replica".
According to his colleague Steve Blum, "nobody" of his acquaintances did not approve the deal.
Excuse me? With all due respect...you state in the article "Approved by affected members of the union's voiceover performer community." Nobody in our community approved this that I know of. Games are the bulk of my livelihood and have been for years. Who are you referring to?
- Steve Blum (@blumspew) January 9, 2024
World of Warcraft voice actor Andrew Russell called the agreement "garbage" and Shelby Young, who will lend her voice to Yuko in the upcoming Persona 3: Reload, said that "really disappointed" a union.
Out-of-game voice actors have also criticised the agreement. Joshua Seth, known for voicing Tai in the Digimon animated series, called it "big mistake" and audiobook narrator Paige Reisenfeld called it "ashamed" that her union payments went towards it.
Big mistake. And a bad president. Very disappointing.
- Joshua Seth ???? Ohayocon (@joshuaseth) January 10, 2024
Veronica Taylor, who voiced Ash in Pokemon, wondered how the union was able to strike a deal without agreement at all.
However, SAG-AFTRA says the agreement guarantees the actors' full consent to use AI voice technology and provides for compensation. And Replica Studios president Shreya Nivas called the deal "ethical approach" to the use of AI.
How has this agreement passed without notice or vote? "voice to be used as a training data set"? Why can't the actual actor be used for the videogame???? Every job brings a unique opportunity for an actor to ...act. Encouraging/allowing AI replacement is a slippery slope downwards.
- Veronica Taylor (@TheVeronicaT) January 10, 2024
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Source: BBC
