Title: Skyrim Modding Community Faces Controversy Over AI-Generated Voice Actors
The Skyrim modding communities have recently come under fire for their increasing use of AI-generated voices based on real voice actors without their consent. This practice, primarily seen in M-rated Skyrim mods, has left many voice actors feeling exploited, especially when their performances are used for pornographic purposes.
With the rise of AI technology, voice acting using AI-generated voices has become more prevalent. One particular AI tool, ElevenLabs, gained momentum throughout 2022 among Skyrim modders. Nexus Mods, a popular platform for hosting game mods, even officially stated that AI-generated mod content is not against our rules, further fueling the ongoing debate surrounding AI.
A concerned member of the Skyrim modding community, user Robbie92_, took to Twitter to highlight the abuse of voice actors within the modding communities. Robbie condemned the practice of using AI voice cloning to impersonate voice actors, specifically for creating explicit content. In their Twitter post, Robbie listed the names of voice actors who had contributed to The Elder Scrolls series and have now fallen victim to AI voice cloning.
Fortunately, players can take steps to address this issue. The problematic game mods that feature AI-generated voices are hosted on Nexus mods. Robbie urged users to voice their complaints by contacting the website and demanding the removal of any works that exploit voice actors’ performances for deep fake pornographic content.
Nexus Mods does provide a DMCA form for players to report inappropriate or illegal use of content. However, the effectiveness of this approach remains uncertain.
One voice actor, Zane Schacht, spoke out against the controversy, tweeting that AI voices are fucking gross due to the violation of consent. Schacht expressed his disgust with the act of using an actor’s voice without permission, particularly for NSFW content.
News like this is difficult to digest, especially considering the wealth of fantastic Skyrim mods available. While finding a quick solution may prove challenging due to the vast number of mods, the hope is that, with the support of the community, this troubling practice can be addressed and rectified.
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