Voice Actors Shocked By Union’s Sudden Deal Allowing AI-Generated Performances

Sotto Voce Earlier this week, the Screen Actor’s Guild made the controversial choice to sign a deal to allow AI-generated voice performances in video games — and it’s unclear who it consulted with to reach that decision. Although SAG-AFTRA said in its statement about the deal with the AI voice firm Replica Studios that it had been “approved by affected members of the union’s voiceover performer community,” there’s been a chorus of voice actors calling bull since the move was announced on Tuesday. Steve Blum, a prolific games voiceover artist, said in a tweet that neither he nor anyone he knew had approved the Replica deal, and expressed incredulity at the news after the union announced it. “Excuse me? With all due respect… you state in the [statement] ‘Approved by affected members of the union’s voiceover performer community,'” Blum posted. “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?” Those sentiments were reflected by Elias Toufexis, whose voice was featured in games like Starfield and DeusEx. “I would humbly consider myself one of the top voice actors working in games,” Toufexis tweeted. “No one asked me about this. No one reached out for my opinion. From what I’m seeing, no one asked any of my peers either.” Rank-and-File In a message sent to the union provided to Futurism, SAG national executive director and chief negotiator Duncan Crabtree-Ireland said that members, including those…Voice Actors Shocked By Union’s Sudden Deal Allowing AI-Generated Performances

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