Voice actors are worried about the impact of artificial intelligence on their profession. They demonstrated in Paris this Tuesday to obtain protection for their voice and their rights.
The essentials of the day: our exclusive selection
Every day, our editorial team reserves the best regional news for you. A selection just for you, to stay in touch with your regions.
France Télévisions uses your email address to send you the newsletter “The essentials of the day: our exclusive selection”. You can unsubscribe at any time via the link at the bottom of this newsletter. Our privacy policy
Lauryanne, 29, is an actress, but her professional activities have led her to dubbing for series, and to being the voice-over for animated films, video games or audio books. “I am interested in everything related to the field of voice”, she explains.
Recently, she recorded Mélissa Da Costa's latest book, “Stand up” in audiobook version. “My job is to read the work, to tell it to people who want to hear it rather than read it.” “Audio books are very popular,” she specifies, “It’s a very human job and AI is not yet embodied to the point of giving human emotions.”
This Tuesday morning, around two hundred people gathered behind the Opéra Garnier. They ask the State to regulate and legislate on the place of artificial intelligence (AI) in the voice professions. “Both actors and technicians are concerned, we are all in danger if AI completely takes over our work”, insists Lauryanne.
The light rain that fell on the Parisian sidewalk did not demotivate the demonstrators. Among the umbrellas, the signs spell out their slogans. “Artificial Intelligence = Artificial Culture”. “Yes to artistic intelligence”, “AI outside, our voices are treasures”.
“AI get lost, you don’t touch my voice”, chants the demonstrators worried by the rise of artificial intelligence, which threatens their profession.
.
•
© France 3 IDF / EB
While negotiations are taking place, at the same time, on the sidewalk opposite between unions, production studios and large platforms, dubbing actors are demanding contracts guaranteeing the protection of their work tool, their voice.
Lauyranne was present this Tuesday morning during the gathering of dubbing actors.
•
© France 3 IDF / EB
Everyone is asking for a framework to deal with the abuse of AI. “We know that things are progressing very quickly and what we want is to legislate. We agree to work with AI but on what basis? At what price?” asks Lauryanne.
We don't know his face, but his voice does. Philippe Peythieu, among others, has been the French voice of Homer Simpson for 35 years. Like most protesters, he is asking studios and platforms for more protection.
“We want a clause to be included in our contracts that protects us from AI. AI is an algorithm that will draw from databases and steal our votes,” he explains.
“We want to protect our voice professions, we also want to protect the technicians who work in these sectors, but also the translators, there are a whole bunch of professions, there are 15,000 people who are currently threatened by AI “.
The dubbing sector represents 15,000 jobs in France, including 5,000 intermittent actors spread across around a hundred companies, mainly in Île-de-France, recalls the #TouchePasMaVF collective in a press release.
“We are not against AI, but at least we have our say and can monetize this use of our voices.” (…) “It’s our personality, our creation, our emotions, it’s our personal data that is stolen”summarizes Philippe Peythieu.
This dubbing specialist warns against illicit uses of actors’ voices. “There are paid sites that make money with our voices”insists Philippe Peythieux, “but there are also YouTubers who use our voices with comments that we do not validate.”
“We should have our say on this type of content”adds Véronique Augereau, better known as the French voice of Marge Simpson.
The gathering of dubbing artists will be followed this Tuesday evening by a general assembly to decide on the next actions to come.
Related News :