Vancouver voice actors concerned about AI cloning voices without consent
Advances in artificial intelligence means software can generate accurate voice clones that sound just like the real thing, but that's putting some actors in a precarious position, including Vancouver's Bill Newton.
He recently found out his voice was cloned without his permission based on a project he was in years ago.
"My voice in particular, on one of the websites that stores AI models, has been used 481 times,” he said.
With an impressive vocal range, the performer, who is part of the Union of BC Performers and the Alliance of Canadian Cinema, Television and Radio Artists can be heard in big-name projects, including My Little Pony and Lego Marvel.
Fortunately, the unauthorized use of his voice hasn't impacted him booking gigs, but Newton and other artists wonder if it might in the future and what will happen to the quality of creative projects.
"There's a lot of corporations, producers, studios that will look at things and the savings they can make and consider it good enough – and that’s the last thing we want,” he said.
UBC Theatre and Film assistant professor Patrick Parra Pennefather, shared more of an optimistic view.
"The dominant use of these tools, thoug,h are for good and to benefit humanity,” he said, adding that AI can be used as a creative tool.
“I think the future is in individuals and organizations having more control over their own data,” he said. “How can it give you a demo of what you might sound like if you read the script?”
With the ease, affordability and proliferation of AI, performers wonder whether companies will outsource creative work to bots.
“As actors and performers, when we agree to put our faces, voices, names on things, we are aware of what that will become. AI takes that away. Suddenly, I can be used as a spokesperson for something that I am morally against,” said Newton.
Pennefather argues AI can’t mimic the nuances and true emotion of human speech and it also makes mistakes, but notes that the technology is getting smarter.
"Actors need to be really aware that the technology exists, but I’m going to say this to not just actors, but everybody – your voice can be cloned, mine can be cloned. All someone needs is a lot of recordings of that particular voice,” he explained.
With Hollywood writers on strike, many in the entertainment industry are keen to negotiate their contracts to account for the potential challenges posed by AI and to push for the implementation regulations and protections.
"There are a lot of policies that are being developed nationally and also internationally to take on these ethical dilemmas that AI is surfacing,” Pennefather said.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Police investigating shooting outside of Drake's Bridle Path mansion: source
Toronto police are investigating a shooting that took place outside of Drake’s Bridle Path mansion early Tuesday morning, a source tells CP24.
Canadian cadets rock mullets and place second at U.S. military competition
Sporting mullets, Canadian Armed Forces officer cadets placed second in an annual military skills competition in the U.S.
'It looked so legit': Ontario man pays $7,700 for luxury villa found on Booking.com, but the listing was fake
An Ontario man says he paid more than $7,700 for a luxury villa he found on a popular travel website -- but the listing was fake.
The Met Gala was in full bloom with Zendaya, Jennifer Lopez, Mindy Kaling among the standout stars
The Met Gala and its fashionista A-listers on Monday included Jennifer Lopez, Zendaya and a parade of others in a swirl of flora and fauna looks on a green-tinged carpet lined by live foliage.
There's actually no such thing as vegetables. Here's why you should eat them anyway
The rumours are true: Vegetables aren't real — that is, in botany, anyway. While the term fruit is recognized botanically as anything that contains a seed or seeds, vegetable is actually a broad umbrella term.
Noelia Voigt resigns as Miss USA, citing her mental health
Noelia Voigt, who was crowned Miss USA in November 2023, has announced she is resigning from her role, saying the decision is in the best interest of her mental health.
Highlights from the 2024 Met Gala exhibit: Sleeping Beauty would wake up for these gowns
Sure, she was a royal princess and all. But there’s no way Sleeping Beauty — either before or after her nap — ever had quite the fabulous wardrobe that’s been assembled at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
Stormy Daniels is expected to appear at Trump's hush money trial on Tuesday
Donald Trump returns to the hush money trial Tuesday facing a threat of jail time for additional gag order violations as prosecutors gear up to summon big-name witnesses including porn actor Stormy Daniels.
Israeli forces seize Rafah border crossing in Gaza, putting ceasefire talks on knife's edge
Israeli tanks seized control of Gaza's vital Rafah border crossing on Tuesday as Israel brushed off urgent warnings from close allies and moved into the southern city even as cease-fire negotiations with Hamas remained on a knife's edge.