“We’re being asked to shoot ourselves in the foot:” voice actors refuse to be used in AI training

The French are known for their strikes, and it seems that some have been given a new reason to protest.

While we’re still debating whether or when artificial intelligence will take over some of our jobs, it’s already becoming a reality for some.

One Reddit user has shared a screenshot that was originally posted on Instagram by Pascale Chemin, a French voice actor.

The Reddit post shared that “every Apex French voice actor/actress resigned after being forced with new contract to train AI.”

The post that Chemin shared on her social media account revealed how she and 31 other actors who voice Apex Legends, a popular video game, were sent an annex of confidentiality and rights transfer from the publisher stating that by signing this annex, they agree to have their voices used to train AI.

The woman shared that she now feels forced to leave her role, which she has held for six years, because she doesn’t agree with the company’s new policy.

Chemin contacted a lawyer specializing in the entertainment industry and agreed that the matters discussed in the document were unacceptable.

She wasn’t the only one thinking this way, as the other 31 actors refused to sign the document. The group wrote a collective refusal and is now waiting for a response from Electronic Arts, a video game publisher.

In the meantime, the actors refuse to work, feeling that they’re being asked to “give up on their know-how” to train AI that is mostly likely to replace them in the future.

The situation has prompted an online discussion, with users stating that the quality of the games has decreased and that employing AI wouldn’t improve them. Overall, they support the actors and their decision not to endorse AI.

“Let’s replace voice actors and possibly artists with AI while cranking up the event prices, fair and balanced just like the meta,” wrote one user.

Some users online were appalled by the company’s move, saying that “this is some super villain shit,” with others actually not being that surprised by the company. “I mean this is EA [Eletronic Arts], it’s entirely on brand,” wrote one Redditor.

Every Apex French Voice Actor/Actress resigned aftrr being forced with new contract to train AI
byu/peperlito inapexlegends

One user was curious whether English-speaking voice actors were given the same ultimatum.

“SAG-AFTRA [Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists] is currently on strike for this exact thing, and has been since July of last year,” replied another user.

Players online also shared that replacing the real people’s voices with AI would be “a huge downgrade and make the game so much more lifeless.” Many of them agreed that “there needs to be collective outrage about this from the player base.”

The situation has escalated to the point where a petition has been created to prevent professional voice actors in France being replaced by AI. The petition has already been signed by almost 165,000 people.