In this age of Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology, many industries are beginning to comment and take a stand regarding the limitations of AI in the professional field.
Artists (writers, visual and graphic artists, for example) and voice-over professionals are those who are greatly affected by the takeover of AIs, therefore threatening to maintain their craft.
In Paris, France, for example, French voice-over actor Boris Rehlinger (French VO for Ben Affleck and Joaquin Phoenix, among others) expresses his thoughts over the possibility of AI taking over his role, stating, “I feel threatened even though my voice hasn’t been replaced by AI yet,” in an interview with Reuters.
Rehlinger explains that there was a team of professionals in the business, which included actors, translators, production directors, dialogue adapters, and sound engineers. All of these different components work together to ensure that the audiences hardly notice that the actors on screen are speaking a different language.
Now, with the rise of foreign hit series on streaming platforms such as Netflix’s “Squid Game”, we are seeing a surge in demand within the dubbing industry.
Consumer research firm GWI reports that 43% of audiences from Germany, France, Italy, and Britain are leaning more towards dubbed films and series rather than relying on subtitles. By 2033, the market is expected to grow by at least USD 7.6 billion according to Business Research Insights.
However, AI-produced voices have also become cost-effective, and more people are learning how to use their full potential. This prompts voice acting industries in Europe to become stricter towards the protection of their jobs as voice-over artists.
AI and the film industry
It’s not new for AI to be involved in the film industry, and Hollywood, with people such as the co-CEO of Netflix, Ted Sarandos, admitting that they have used AI in line with creating visual effects for the film “El Eternauta” (The Eternaut).
GenAI has also been experimented with to aid in synchronising the actors’ lip movements with that of the voice actor’s dubbing. This means that local voice actors are still doing most of their roles in dubbing, which is permitted under the SAG-AFTRA actors’ union contract. Part of that law is to render payment for the dubbing actor’s service.
Despite this clarification, a petition from the VDS voice actors’ association calls on German and EU legislators for stricter monitoring of AI companies, particularly in obtaining explicit consent when feeding technology artists’ voices. This is also a call for transparency in terms of labeling, which is AI-generated content.
These all point to a question of intellectual property and how AI-generated content may be stealing the authentic talents that voice actors have or train for.
AI to reshape, not to replace
Stefan Sporn, CEO of Audio Innovation Lab, who made use of AI to assist in the dubbing of “Black Dog” (a Cannes Film Festival entry) from Chinese to German, believes that AI is a tool to reshape and not something to replace.
Audio Innovation Lab’s technology works by altering the original actor’s voice to synchronize with the target language, aiming for authenticity and efficiency.
The idea is to utilize AI in the film industry to enhance and refine aspects that could benefit from further development. However, it will never replace the authenticity and complexity that human emotions contribute to the field.
What are your thoughts when it comes to AI and artistic pursuits such as film and visual art? Let us know your thoughts.