‘Halo’ Actor Steve Downes Does not Need You to AI Clone HIs Voice

Steve Downes, the longtime voice actor of Halo protagonist Grasp Chief, has referred to as on followers to not use generative AI to duplicate his voice.

In a YouTube AMA, Downes admitted that he’s seen movies on-line the place his voice has been recreated utilizing the controversial know-how. Whereas he usually considers voice cloning to be “innocent,” he acknowledged that it may simply backslide and “deprive an actor of [their] work.”

As such, he would like “it not be executed [to me]. There’s a number of fan initiatives which might be actually cool and executed simply from the center. However if you get to the AI half and deceiving any person that these are strains I truly spoke…that’s the place we cross a line that will get into an space I’m uncomfortable with.”

Latest years have seen voice actors categorical concern about the usage of generative AI in VO. Final yr, a leaked Sony take a look at demo featured a take a look at bot that had the voice of Aloy, the lead of the Horizon video games, that was made with genAI. Aloy’s actor Ashly Burch then launched a video saying she’d been knowledgeable that the Aloy bot was purely for demonstrative functions and wasn’t made utilizing her face or voice knowledge. Even so, she mentioned she was “frightened” in regards to the artwork type of sport performances and the way this know-how may have an effect on voice actors under her.

Halo is owned by Xbox, whose father or mother firm Microsoft has been step by step going all-in on generative AI in its manufacturing pipeline and merchandise. It’s partnered with generative AI firms to create tools meant to help with aspects of sport improvement, which has garnered criticism amongst builders and gamers. It’s been murky whether or not the upcoming Halo: Marketing campaign Developed was made with genAI: final yr, an insider alleged it was, however Halo Studios has been considerably evasive, as an alternative saying there was no requirement to make use of know-how a few of its employees take into account “a device in a toolbox.”

[via IGN]

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