GTA 5 Michael Actor Not Happy About AI Ripping Off His Voice

gamerant.com:

Ned Luke, the actor behind Grand 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, with gaming companies like Wizards of Coast coming 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 like Jennifer Hale and David Hayter have stated that AI is a poor substitute for the real spirit and emotions of an actual human performance, a sentiment shared by the likes of Batman: Arkham Harley 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 5 Micheal actor Ned Luke recently spoke out against an AI company called WAME for copying his voice without his knowledge or consent in a Twitter post, as reported by PCGames. 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 of GTA 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 the Grand Theft Auto 5 Micheal AI chatbox at the heart of this ordeal has been removed following Luke’s