AI voice cloning debate drives Persona 5 voice actress to quit Twitter

Persona 5 voice actress Erica Lindbeck has made a dramatic exit from Twitter after challenging the unauthorized use of her voice in an AI-generated video.

The debate on AI voice cloning continues to heat up after Lindbeck, a renowned voice actress from the popular video game Persona 5, deleted her Twitter account.

The incident was sparked by her criticism of a YouTube video, which featured an AI clone of her character Futaba Sakura’s voice, singing “Welcome to The Internet,” a song by Bo Burnham.

Lindbeck, who also voiced Black Cat in Insomniac’s 2018 Spider-Man game, objected to the unauthorized use of her voice, calling it a “violation.” She urged her followers to report the video, resulting in the original post being taken down from YouTube.

Maybe look for more tweets. She never WANTED him to get harassed. She simply asked the creator to take it down and he did. She didn't ask anyone to harass the creator. They did that all on their own. pic.twitter.com/31S3oV2tQP

— Hyperion's Harem Captain (@HyperionHarem) July 9, 2023

In a tweet before her exit, Lindbeck wrote, “Please report this stuff, you guys, this is such a violation.” She expressed her concern about AI putting words into her mouth that could easily be misconstrued as her own.

The incident ignited a storm of controversy, as AI enthusiasts opposed her stance and began re-uploading various copies of the video in retaliation. Subsequently, Lindbeck’s account was inundated with criticism leading her to remove her Twitter profile altogether.

The issue triggered widespread support from her fellow voice actors. Prominent figures from the gaming community expressed their own perspectives, stirring a wider discussion on AI-generated voices and the ethical implications surrounding their use.

Veteran actor Josh Keaton, known for his work on Spectacular Spider-Man, defended Lindbeck’s stance: “Erica is a wonderful person and doesn’t deserve any of this… There are no two sides about it when it comes to theft,” he wrote, tackling the issue of voice cloning head-on.

Nah eat shit, man. People rightfully calling you out for stealing someone's voice is not a harassment campaign. If that's what you call the consequences of your own actions, you're soft AF.

Erica is a wonderful person and doesn't deserve any of this. https://t.co/gizxHJFVPX

— 🇺🇸Josh Keaton🇵🇪 (@joshkeaton) July 8, 2023

Yuri Lowenthal, another actor from the Spider-Man game, echoed Keaton’s sentiments, drawing attention to the growing concerns about the rights and consent of voice actors.

This incident follows recent controversies in which Skyrim voice actors voiced disapproval of their performances being used in explicit mods without their consent.

Interestingly, not all artists are against the technology. Grimes, earlier this year, announced on Twitter her willingness to share 50% of the royalties from any successful AI-generated song that uses her voice, inviting artists to use her voice without penalty.

However, there’s no doubt that serious questions remain regarding legal ownership and ethical consent in the face of rapidly evolving AI technology.