Summary
Ned Luke, the actor behindGrand Theft Auto 5’s bank robber-turned-criminal mentor Michael De Santa, recently spoke out against an AI program copying his voice without his knowledge or approval. AI-generated content has grown more prevalent in recent years, with computer programs capable of making images and even replicating famous voices with increasingly uncanny accuracy. This in turn has ignited plenty of controversy over the prospect of AI replacing human artists, withgaming companies like Wizards of Coastcoming under fire for using it in official projects.
Plenty of video game voice actors have also weighed in on the ongoing debate over AI programs like ChatGPT being used to replicate their voices. Big-name stars likeJennifer Hale and David Hayterhave stated that AI is a poor substitute for the real spirit and emotions of an actual human performance, a sentiment shared by the likes ofBatman: ArkhamHarley Quinn actor Tara Strong among many others. A recent deal between SAG-AFTRA and the artificial intelligence voice technology company Replica Studios raised the backlash against AI even further by potentially allowing it to use AI approximations of major Hollywood actors in games.
Meanwhile,Grand Theft Auto 5Micheal actor Ned Luke recently spoke out against an AI company called WAME for copying his voice without his knowledge or consent in aTwitterpost, as reported byPCGames. In this post, Luke said that there’s “nothing cool about ripping people off” with a replication of his voice, and advised his fans not to “waste their time” on such a thing. Luke’s message was made in response to a post from WAME showcasing its Michael chatbot, which also mistakenly referred to him as “the protagonist ofGTA 4.”
Shortly after Ned Luke’s response and PCGames’ article covering it, WAME reached out to the former with a new statement assuring everyone involved that theGrand Theft Auto 5Micheal AI chatbox at the heart of this ordeal has been removed following Luke’s remarks. “WAME commits to protecting the rights of voice actors and creators while advancing ethical AI practices,” the company stated. “We believe this controversy serves as a pivotal moment in harmonizing AI technology with relevant legal statutes.” WAME went on to describe how the incident has “highlighted the intricate interplay between the advancement of AI technology and the ethical and legal realms.”
Ned Luke’sperformance asGrand Theft Auto 5’s Michaelhas been replicated using AI before in novelty videos, but this latest instance comes at a time when video game voice actors are genuinely concerned about the technology replacing them in official projects. As said technology grows more sophisticated, this issue and the surrounding controversy will only become more prominent, especially in light of the recent SAG-AFTRA deal.
Grand Theft Auto 5
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When a young street hustler, a retired bank robber and a terrifying psychopath find themselves entangled with some of the most frightening and deranged elements of the criminal underworld, the U.S. government and the entertainment industry, they must pull off a series of dangerous heists to survive in a ruthless city in which they can trust nobody, least of all each other.Grand Theft Auto V for PC offers players the option to explore the award-winning world of Los Santos and Blaine County in resolutions of up to 4k and beyond, as well as the chance to experience the game running at 60 frames per second.The game offers players a huge range of PC-specific customization options, including over 25 separate configurable settings for texture quality, shaders, tessellation, anti-aliasing and more, as well as support and extensive customization for mouse and keyboard controls. Additional options include a population density slider to control car and pedestrian traffic, as well as dual and triple monitor support, 3D compatibility, and plug-and-play controller support.
