Voice actors lament Apple's misuse of their work for AI training

[Alfonso Maruccia]

WTF?! Apple has recently started a new program to sell audiobooks with AI-based voiceover, where the algorithmic voice is seemingly based on real actors' performances. The actors didn't know about it and now their union is stepping in.

Apple promised to bring innovation, quality and money to the audio books marketplace with a new catalog of titles created with AI-based voices. However, the Cupertino giant has now been accused of using real voice recordings with no proper authorization from the original performers.

The heart of the problem here is Findaway Voices, an audiobook distributor which was recently acquired by Spotify. According to disgruntled narrators, Findaway gave Apple permission to use its audiobook files to train the machine learning model employed for the new "robotic" audio books program.

It seems voice actors didn't know about the clause, and they are now lamenting the fact that Findaway didn't inform them properly about the issue. Andy Garcia-Ruse, a narrator from Kansas City, said Findaway's behavior felt like "a violation" as the company was essentially using his voice to train something designed to take his place.

The dispute reached a new level when SAG-AFTRA, the labor union representing about 160,000 US actors, journalists and voice narrators, got involved. According to Jane Love, SAG-AFTRA's national director for the audiobook market, the organization is "still working with Findaway toward a solution that recognizes the union's concerns."

Aside from the unclear clause that gave Findaway the right to essentially sell off voice performances to Apple, SAG-AFTRA is also concerned about the way the involved companies have managed the actual audio files, their (hypothetical) usage limitations, and "appropriate compensation" for voice artists.

For the time being, SAG-AFTRA confirmed to its members that the murky AI-training practice has been halted. Findaway and Apple aren't using the union members' audio files for training machine learning models anymore, and this covers all the files "dating back to the beginning of this practice" as well. How Apple will be able to keep offering AI-based audiobooks already on sale is still a mystery, however.

Furthermore, Findaway contracts seemingly provide voice actors the right to revoke the clause that gives Apple access to their own work. Authors such as Isobel Starling already requested that, and the company said that a removal request was sent to Cupertino.

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https://www.techspot.com/news/97632-voice-actors-lament-apple-misuse-their-work-ai.html

 

[psycros]

First they just wanted all your personal data so you could be tracked and marketed to death. Now they want to create an unpaid simulacrum to replace you. I wonder who these companies think are going to buy their products when everyone's job has been taken by robots?

 

[Neatfeatguy]

The backlash will be less than what they will profit from for using these tactics. That's why these companies keep doing these things.

Slap on the wrist penalties that pale in comparison to what kind of profit they made in return. It just goes to help reaffirm to these giant companies they can do what they want and still make money off it.

 

[wiyosaya]

The backlash will be less than what they will profit from for using these tactics. That's why these companies keep doing these things.

Slap on the wrist penalties that pale in comparison to what kind of profit they made in return. It just goes to help reaffirm to these giant companies they can do what they want and still make money off it.

Penalties need to be updated for modern times and the fact that these companies have literally billons of dollars in the bank.

 

[wiyosaya]

First they just wanted all your personal data so you could be tracked and marketed to death. Now they want to create an unpaid simulacrum to replace you. I wonder who these companies think are going to buy their products when everyone's job has been taken by robots?

They will probably try to market (sell) robots that are specifically designed to buy their products. Given their TV commercials, they seem to regard humans who buy their products as robots as it is.

 

[kiwigraeme]

This is a reflection of a greater society as a whole - did you hate Ralph Nader as interfering with Corps unfettered rights to exploit and profit?
Do you hate or support EFF, The American Union of Civil liberties , Greta , Unions.
Did you cheer when Trump rolled back useless red tape and protections for carrying for trains carrying hazardous chemicals ?
Unions are interesting as many hate them as story told by The Man- But love them with the story told by the Blue Collar man just trying to do right for his family and town.

Back to the point at hand - This is the death by 1 million cuts - Corps rely on their infinite resources , they feed doubt and fake news , our inertial and apathy , corruption ( ie political funding )- big corps have got away with murder on loopholes and technicalities etc
Yes they provide jobs, exports etc - but they are not our friends.
We may dislike the Gretas, the Ralphs , the EU red tape etc - but just be thankful they are there

I disagree with most anti-vax people - but they help to keep researchers honest.

now specific lawyers will go over the above with a fine tooth comb , Apple has plausible deniability as one step away - though I do not believe that is a protection if it can be shown royalty rules have been breached.

 

[Alfonso Maruccia]

First they just wanted all your personal data so you could be tracked and marketed to death. Now they want to create an unpaid simulacrum to replace you. I wonder who these companies think are going to buy their products when everyone's job has been taken by robots?

They are unable to understand something so complex. They just need to please their faceless "shareholders", one quarter at a time.

That's the gist of turbo-capitalism, and the Lovecraftian god we are sacrificing everything to.

 

[James Ryan]

These companies will be out begging for government handouts when they don't have anyone to sell their **** to. If people don't have an income they aren't going to spend. They are basically biting the hand that feeds them. Short term gains for longer term suffering. I get the feeling they are banking on new tech that hasn't been invented yet to save them from the potential long term suffering.

 

[rsmith222]

First they just wanted all your personal data so you could be tracked and marketed to death. Now they want to create an unpaid simulacrum to replace you. I wonder who these companies think are going to buy their products when everyone's job has been taken by robots?

It is going to be some time before maids can be cheaply replaced with robots. The same goes for the people who handle raw sewage and all of those other fun jobs.