Fortnite, Darth Vader and the use of AI voices in gaming

One of the biggest unions in the world representing a diverse range of creative professionals, including actors and voice artists, has filed a complaint against the makers of the video game Fortnite over its Darth Vader character. Epic Games used generative AI to recreate the voice of the Star Wars villain, after the late actor who played him in the film franchise signed over the rights in 2022. But Sag-Aftra says the gaming company should have negotiated with them first - and is worried the rise in AI could lead to job losses.

BBC tech reporter Liv McMahon tells us more about the row between the union and Epic Games and explains why the growing use of generative AI is being met with backlash in the entertainment industry. We also hear from Larry Cutler, the co-founder of Baobab Studios, a multiple Emmy-award-winning animation studio that has worked on games like Roblox and Fortnite, to find out how voice cloning technology works.

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Presenter: William Lee Adams
Producers: Mora Morrison and Chelsea Coates
Editor: Verity Wilde