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.
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.
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.
Go Deeper:
Source: BBC