With all the recent talk about Grand Theft Auto VI, it has been easy to forget what a monumentally large player base GTA V still has. One large enough seemingly for people to continue to attempt to make money or fame from it, without always getting the permission of those involved.

Wame.xyz seems to have made a sizeable misstep however when they posted on X (now removed), “Any GTA fans around here? Now, take your gaming experience to another level. Try having a realistic voice conversation with Michael De Santa, the protagonist of GTA5, right now.”

They probably were not expecting Ned Luke, the actor who voiced De Santa to reply with, “This is f***ing bulls**. Absolutely nothing cool about ripping people off with some lame computer estimation of my voice. DON’T WASTE YOUR TIME ON THIS GARBAGE….”

It’s not new news that actors and voiceover artists are very much against the arrival of AI on the scene amidst the expectation that companies are just going to do away with the humans and end up creating computer-generated audio for much less expense.

To its credit, at least Wame, whose website uses the words Blockchain, AI, and Innovation a lot, has reacted quickly to the future. Wame itself is quite a difficult company to figure out. An introductory video on the site introduces Wame as “an innovative platform that redefines personal data as a valuable asset”, before explaining how this will work in the Blockchain.

Lesson learned?

A statement added to the site in the wake of PCGamesN reporting on the story is titled Advancing Ethical AI: WAME’s Commitment to Innovation and Responsibility, and states in full

“In light of the recent controversy surrounding the utilization of Mr. Ned Luke’s voice in our application, we at WAME wish to express our profound understanding and concern. This incident has highlighted the intricate interplay between the advancement of AI technology and the ethical and legal realms.

Innovative Use of AI Technology: Our incorporation of AI technology aimed to revolutionize the gaming experience, not for commercial exploitation but as an integral part of our research and technological development. The AI-generated voice, modeled after Mr. Luke’s, was intended solely to enhance player immersion.

Distinct AI Voice Synthesis: While based on Mr. Luke’s voice, the AI voice was independently synthesized and fine-tuned, resulting in a unique creation entirely by AI. This represents a significant exploration into the capabilities of AI voice synthesis technology.

Immediate and Responsible Action: Upon recognizing Mr. Luke’s response, the application was promptly withdrawn. This immediate action reflects our commitment to responsible practice and acknowledges the oversight in our initial approach.

Upholding Creative Freedom and Rights: We staunchly advocate for creative freedom and agree that the rights of those who inspire creative works must be equally respected. We extend our deepest apologies to Mr. Luke for any distress caused and take this as a crucial learning opportunity to strive for a balance between creators’ rights and ethical AI usage.

Advocating for Clear Legal Frameworks in AI: This incident underscores the urgent need for clear legal frameworks governing AI technologies. WAME is prepared to actively engage in discussions with industry peers, legal experts, and policymakers to establish a stable legal foundation that will enable safer and more ethical AI development and application.

Conclusion:
WAME commits to protecting the rights of voice actors and creators while advancing ethical AI practices. We believe this controversy serves as a pivotal moment in harmonizing AI technology with relevant legal statutes.

Thank you.
WAME Executive Team”

All that reads as though the company may have had an epiphany, but for one shouting about the values of personal data, there should surely have been some consideration that cloning an actor’s voice of one of the biggest games of all time may have brought some repercussions.

Paul McNally

Gaming Editor

Paul McNally has been around consoles and computers since his parents bought him a Mattel Intellivision in 1980. He has been a prominent games journalist since the 1990s, spending over a decade as editor of popular print-based video games and computer magazines, including a market-leading PlayStation title published by IDG Media. Having spent time as Head of Communications at a professional sports club and working for high-profile charities such as the National Literacy Trust, he returned as Managing Editor in charge of large US-based technology websites in 2020. Paul has written high-end gaming content for GamePro, Official Australian PlayStation Magazine, PlayStation Pro, Amiga Action, Mega Action, ST Action, GQ, Loaded, and the The Mirror. He has also hosted panels at retro-gaming conventions and can regularly be found guesting on gaming podcasts and Twitch shows. He is obsessed with 3D printing and has worked with several major brands in the past to create content Believing that the reader deserves actually to enjoy what they are reading is a big part of Paul’s ethos when it comes to gaming journalism, elevating the sites he works on above the norm. Reach out on X.

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