French Voice Actors of Apex Legends Battle Against AI

The voice actors involved in the French version of Apex Legends have reportedly turned down a contract that would allow their voices to be used for AI training.

Pascale Chemin, known for voicing Wraith in the French edition of the battle royale game, recently highlighted this issue on Twitter. She claimed that a clause in their contract, presumably introduced by Electronic Arts, indicated that their vocal performances would help train AI systems. Although the specific game and publisher weren’t directly named, all evidence points towards Apex Legends and EA.

In addition to Chemin, 31 other actors involved in the project have also rejected signing this agreement, expressing their dissent in a letter sent to the publisher.

Chemin voiced her concerns, stating, “We must stand together to ensure that protective clauses for our voices are included in our contracts—not just for us but for all video game dubbing studios. If we don’t, we might not get another chance, and we’re looking at a major setback.”

She continued, “Refusing work in today’s world seems unreasonable when opportunities are scarce, and financial struggles are real for many of us. Of course, a paycheck would be appreciated. But this isn’t just about taking a job; it’s about relinquishing our skills to AI, essentially training the very technology that could replace us. It’s asking us to go against our own interests, to compromise our artistry for a tool that threatens our future. It’s akin to shooting ourselves in the foot and inadvertently championing AI.”