Zelda Williams, daughter of the late Robin Williams, is speaking out against the technology being used to recreate the actor’s voice. She finds the technology disturbing, something we highly agree with.
“I am not an impartial voice in SAG’s fight against AI,” Williams said in an Instagram Story. “I’ve witnessed for YEARS how many people want to train these models to create/recreate actors who cannot consent, like Dad. This isn’t theoretical, it is very very real.”
“I’ve already heard AI used to get his “voice” to say whatever people want and while I find it personally disturbing, the ramifications go far beyond my own feelings. Living actors deserve a chance to create characters with their choices, to voice cartoons, to put their HUMAN effort and time into the pursuit of performance.”
The use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) is one of the main reasons behind the Hollywood Strikes. Members of both the WGA and SAG–AFTRA are seeking protections from the ever-advancing technology. The WGA has reached a tentative deal with the AMPTP, that does include protections the guild approved of. SAG-AFTRA is set to meet with the AMPTP for negations this week, hopefully to get the protections they seek.
This is not the first issue of an actor’s voice being used to train AI. Stephen Fry shared his own experience of his voice being stolen and recreated through technology. That the creators of these technologies would stoop to use the voice of the deceased is beyond disturbing. Robin Williams was a one of a kind talent, something a recreation could not hold a candle to.
Zelda Williams’ statement ends with her comparing these recreations to “a poor facsimile of greater people” at best. “A horrendous Frankensteinian monster” at their worst.
