AI and Deep-fakes Threaten Voice-Actors' Future: Industry Rallies for Rights
SAG-AFTRA National Executive Director Duncan Crabtree-Ireland took part in Comic-Con's National Association of Voiceover Actors (NAVA) panel "AI in Entertainment: The Performer's Perspective Panel" this past Friday. Alongside him were numerous voice-over actors discussing the complex issues they face in the age of artificial intelligence.
Crabtree-Ireland argued that AI implementation is a decision taken by major corporations, calling for accountability and rejection of blanket compliance. He underscored the possibility of a more human-centric approach to AI instead of one that negates their roles. Limitations on voice-over actors' roles in feature films, TV shows, and trailers during ongoing strikes were also highlighted.
Cissy Jones, known for her role in Transformers Earthrise, shared a personal account of the threats that such actors face with the rise of "public fan mods." This trend involves fans appropriating celebrity voices to produce their own content online. Jones emphasized the potential harm this could inflict personally, financially, and ethically, expressing her concerns about lack of control over the usage of her vocal likeness.
NAVA's president and founder, Tim Friedlander, introduced the additional issue of unauthorized use of voice-over actors' performances in different contexts without their consent. This misuse extends into the realm of AI with deep-fakes, further complicating matters for actors.
Crabtree-Ireland drew attention to the necessity of informed consent for actors regarding the use of their digital replicas. He urged the audience at the Hilton Bayfront Aqua Ballroom to voice their concerns to corporations, expressing skepticism about the latter's claims of doing everything possible to safeguard AI-related rights.
He outlined SAG-AFTRA's strategy against these issues, emphasizing collective bargaining, public policy transformation, and fan education. Crabtree-Ireland also underlined the necessity of public policies addressing deep-fakes. Fellow panelist Jones pointed out the potential political implications of deep-fakes, particularly the ease with which they could manipulate important election results.
Panel members Linsay Rousseau and Ashly Burch also contributed to the discussion, with SAG-AFTRA member Zeke Alton noting that they were "bargaining for their very existence."
Well, dear readers, isn’t this a sprawling narrative that unfolds like the multilayered plotline of a Christopher Nolan movie, mixed with a hefty dose of Philip K. Dick's science fiction?
Without a doubt, AI and the advent of deep-fakes have rippled seismic shifts through the entertainment industry, and the voice-over sector sits no exception. It's a sinister scene straight out of the dystopian series Black Mirror, with the potential to metamorphose the delightful art of impersonation into a Pandora's box of misused vocal identities.
Crabtree-Ireland's stance captures the essence of this conundrum perfectly, and although Thomas Jefferson certainly wasn't thinking of AI when he penned the Declaration of Independence, the principle applies - informed consent is indeed vital.
Hats off to Cissy Jones too. What she highlights isn't just about the potential harm to an actor's reputation or revenue flow, but also a very human fear - exploitation and manipulation of one's voice, potentially warping it into messages one would never endorse.
It's high time we heed the call-to-arms from the voice-over community because, dear readers, wouldn't you be concerned if your voice started popping up in places you'd never dream of (or more accurately, having nightmares about)?
Crabtree-Ireland’s urge to hold corporations accountable, coupled with the need for laws governing deep-fakes, prompts a stunning conclusion - standing at the precipice, we’re not just negotiating contracts, but also the future of identity and authenticity in the entertainment industry.
And so, with bated breath, we wait for the next scene in this drama, wondering if this storyline will be the strangest stranger-than-fiction story we witness. In the words of Crabtree-Ireland, that, dear readers, is indeed "existential."
