2023-10-04 23:26:23
Office jobs aren’t the only ones at risk
And bref: Many studies have been carried out on the impact that generative AI will have on the global job market. These tend to focus on clerical and other positions within the company, but the effect of the technology will be considerable. One profession also feeling the pressure is voice artists, many of whom fear being replaced by human-sounding generated voices.
Wired reports that as generative AI advances, the technology is getting better at cloning celebrity voices, narrating audiobooks, and more.
However, the generated voices are still not perfect. Their inability to replicate the subtleties of human speech patterns means they won’t replace humans in large-scale productions anytime soon. But entry-level workers who do larger amounts of lower-paid work risk losing their jobs to machines. Examples where technology could offer a cheaper alternative to hiring a person include corporate videos or background chatter and noise in movies and TV shows.
In addition to potential job losses, actors fear that their voices will be used without their consent, including in deepfakes, to promote misinformation and in pornographic content.
Voice actors began voicing their concerns earlier this year when it was reported that more of them were under contractual obligation to relinquish rights to their voices. Many companies offer speech cloning, generation, or text-to-text services for prices as low as $30 per month. Some websites offer this service by simply downloading recordings, allowing a voice to be synthesized without the owner’s consent.
Tim Friedlander, president and founder of the National Association of Voice Actors (NAVA), said at the time that contracts allowing producers to synthesize actors’ voices, often without additional compensation, were “very common” and that actors sometimes don’t realize it. that these clauses have been added. Sometimes those who object are told that they will not be hired without agreeing to the conditions.
Voice actors sparked more protests in February over Apple’s alleged misuse of their work for AI training. The iPhone maker has been accused of using real voice recordings without proper permission from the original performers.
Wired also notes that concerns over generative AI played a major role in the Screen Actors Guild strike. SAG members want Hollywood studios to ensure their next contract includes provisions for “informed consent and fair compensation” when a “digital replica” of an artist is created. This also applies when their voice, appearance or performance is changed by AI. However, this will not protect actors working in fields like video games.
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