Steve Downes, the longtime voice actor of Halo the protagonist Master Chief, called on fans not to use generative AI to reproduce his voice.
In a YouTube AMADownes admitted to seeing videos online in which his voice was recreated using the controversial technology. While he generally views voice cloning as “harmless,” he acknowledges that it could easily backtrack and “deprive an actor of freedom.” [their] work.”
He would therefore prefer that “this does not happen [to me]. There are a lot of fan projects that are really cool and made from the heart. But when we get to the AI part and fooling someone into thinking that these are lines that I actually said…that’s where we cross a line that enters into an area that I’m not comfortable with.
In recent years, voice actors have expressed concern about the use of generative AI in VO. Last year, a leaked Sony test demo featured a test robot that had the voice of Aloy, the group’s manager. Horizon games, which were made with genAI. Aloy actor Ashley Burch later posted a video saying she had been informed that the Aloy robot was for demonstration purposes only and was not created using her facial or voice data. Despite this, she said she was “worried” about the art form of gaming performances and how this technology might affect the voice actors below her.
Halo is owned by Xbox, whose parent company Microsoft has been gradually integrating generative AI into its production pipeline and products. It partners with generative AI companies to create tools intended to help with facets of game development, which has sparked criticism among developers and gamers. It is difficult to know if the next Halo: Campaign Evolved was carried out with genAI: last year, an insider claimed it wasbut Halo Studios was somewhat evasive, saying instead that it was not mandatory to use technology that some of its employees consider “a tool in a toolbox.”
[via IGN]
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