GTA And Red Dead Redemption Stars Slam AI Clones

These days, it seems AI is at the forefront of nearly every industry's hopes and fears. Some publications and companies have begun using artificial intelligence to generate ad copy or full articles, while some artists fear being outright replaced by software that can create full tableaus with just a few prompts from the user. Voice actors are also feeling the heat from AI's surge in popularity, and folks like "Grand Theft Auto 5" star Ned Luke are outright fuming over the ways in which their voice has been replicated through AI without their permission.

Much to the dismay of working voice actors, a growing trend on the internet has seen people using AI to create videos of their favorite characters and real-world personalities participating in very specific (and odd) activities. From a recording of Hank Hill singing Marty Robbins' "Big Iron" to a scene Leon Kennedy meeting Joe Biden, some of these audio deepfakes sound entirely too convincing for everyone to feel comfortable with their existence. Making matters more concerning for some, SAG-AFTRA has recently signed a deal with Replica Studios, paving the way for companies to use digital replicas of top voice talent. Though this deal emphasizes that the artists involved must consent to any official use of their vocal likenesses in the future, many performers fear that the genie is already out of the bottle.

For example, one only has to look at what Ned Luke and Roger Clark have been dealing with to understand why voice artists are so on-edge about AI. In a fiery rant on X (formerly Twitter), Ned Luke called out people using a copy of his voice "to create bulls*** racist rants etc to try to get [him] canceled."

Ned Luke shared a post on X (which has since been deleted) from AI and blockchain firm WAME, which unveiled a new chatbot based on Luke's "GTA 5" character, Michael De Santa. The company erroneously referred to Michael as the main character from "GTA 4," which only added fuel to the fire. After seeing this company promoting a chatbot using an AI-generated copy of his voice (and not even getting the details of his role correct), Luke took WAME to task. "This is f***ing bulls*** [WAME]," posted Luke. "[There is] absolutely nothing cool about ripping people off with some lame computer estimation of my voice. Don't waste your time on this garbage." Commiserating with his fellow Rockstar performer, "Red Dead Redemption 2" voice actor Roger Clark reassured Ned Luke that no chatbot could ever replace the real thing entirely. 

This sucks Ned, all they can do is copy and steal. The real Michael will never be replaced.

— Roger Clark (@rclark98) January 14, 2024

To this, Luke responded, "I'm not worried about being replaced, Roger." Luke explained that he's just furious over this general practice, and he's worried that "our s****y union is so damn weak that this will soon be an issue on legit work," and not just a matter of smaller companies copying their voices for monetary gain. Roger Clark revealed that he is also dealing with people using copies of his voice to create racist diatribes. "I don't trust our union to do anything. What I DO trust is for the politicians to get up off their asses and do something once it starts happening to them come election season," Clark wrote.

Although WAME has not directly participated in the kind of racist behavior Luke is calling out, his concern is that unauthorized voice clones like the one that WAME was promoting could theoretically be used by any number of unscrupulous parties. If people on the internet can't tell the difference between a real recording of Ned Luke and an AI-created facsimile, Luke could get in a lot of trouble when others (almost literally) put words in his mouth. Luke isn't alone in this fear, as concerns over the ethics of AI usage in the entertainment industry were major contributing factors in last year's SAG-AFTRA strike.

In the wake of Ned Luke's criticism, WAME has removed all posts promoting the Michael De Santa chatbot and has released a statement about the matter. "This incident has highlighted the intricate interplay between the advancement of AI technology and the ethical and legal realms," says WAME. The statement goes on to say, "WAME commits to protecting the rights of voice actors and creators while advancing ethical AI practices." The company also pointed to its quick response and withdrawal of the chatbot as an example of its dedication to preserving a good relationship between working actors and companies like this one.

However, it seems fans aren't exactly buying what WAME is selling. Comments on WAME's Twitter account have been limited, but replies to this statement are mostly accusing the company of not taking any responsibility for the distress it caused Ned Luke by approximating his vocal likeness without permission. One frustrated reply reads, "This statement is rambling, self-contradictory, and smeared in legalese. Do better."