Sir David Attenborough doesn’t approve of AI getting used to copy his voice.
In a BBC Information section on Sunday, an AI recreation of the well-known British broadcaster’s voice talking about his new sequence “Asia” was performed subsequent to an actual recording, with little to no distinction between the 2. BBC researchers had discovered the AI-generated Attenborough on a web site, and mentioned there have been a number of that claimed to clone his voice.
In response, the 98-year-old despatched the next assertion to BBC Information: “Having spent a lifetime making an attempt to talk what I imagine to be the reality, I’m profoundly disturbed to search out that as of late, my identification is being stolen by others and drastically object to them utilizing it to say no matter they need.”
AI-generated Attenborough then crafted a reply, which BBC Information performed. “Let’s set the document straight. Until Mr. Attenborough has been moonlighting for us in secret and beneath an assumed identify with work authorization in the USA, he isn’t on our payroll,” it mentioned. “I’m not David Attenborough. We’re each male, British voices for certain. Nevertheless, I’m not David Attenborough, for anybody on the market who could also be confused.”
Dr. Jennifer Williams, an AI audio researcher on the College of Southampton, then supplied her opinion on the matter after BBC Information performed one other clip of the cloned voice talking about Donald Trump’s nomination of Matt Gaetz and the battle in Ukraine.
“I’m slightly disgusted,” she mentioned. “That is very severe … when you have got a trusted voice like Sir David Attenborough, who all around the globe individuals acknowledge him as an authority, as a voice of reality. After which to have phrases put in his mouth about battle, politics and issues that he has by no means mentioned or could not eve endorse, it’s very regarding.”
Watch the total BBC Information section under.
