A robot instead of a human voice? This is what voice actors fear, for whom the emergence of artificial intelligence poses a threat to their very existence.
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“It’s a real threat, very serious, it’s not paranoia. It won’t take ten years, it’s coming very soon,” says Quebec actor and voice actor Sébastien Dhavernas in an interview with the Journal.
In France, a change.org petition started a month ago by Synchro magazine editor-in-chief Olivier Barbery is sounding the alarm.
“This dubbing exercise and our wonderful actors could be affected by artificial intelligence reproducing voices,” Mr Barbery worries.
“It’s not just for dubbing, it’s for everything that’s narrative and advertising. All votes. There’s even something circulating that shows Leonardo DiCaprio giving a speech with the voices of five other comedians. They just have to sample your voice for about a minute and then they do what they want,” adds Sébastien Dhavernas.
Photo agency QMI, Joël Lemay
Lower costs
The interest of film studios and producers in AI is obviously of an economic nature.
“People who develop it advertise that they’ll never have to pay for a voiceover again,” says Mr. Dhavernas.
“Reducing dubbing production costs in France and in French-speaking countries such as Belgium or Quebec can encourage majors and streaming platforms to use AI in this sector, thereby rendering an entire profession unemployed,” writes Olivier Barbery in his petition.
Sébastien Dhavernas, for example, estimates that he devotes 80% of his professional life to dubbing, but at 73 he’s not worried.
“I think of young actors and actresses who have families. It’s going to have a big impact.”
All countries in danger
How do you counter what looks like a steamroller? “Governments must work to ensure that there is an international agreement at UNESCO level,” replies Sébastien Dhavernas.
He is counting on a necessary united front of the trade unions, not only in the French-speaking countries. All countries are affected. “Anglophones will like that too.”
It’s another battle to be fought for the Quebec voice actors, notes Mr. Dhavernas.
“The dubbing industry is the only one that faces international competition 365 days a year. With every project, the customer has the choice to carry it out here, in Europe or in Los Angeles. It is an industry that is constantly struggling.”
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