There’s been a massive debate about AI in the creative space, with gamers raging on either side of the aisle about whether it will bring the downfall of the gaming industry or help it rise. One individual who sees the potential of AI, but also knows how terrifying it can be, is Briana White. Known for her work as Aerith in Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth, White recently sat down for an interview with Naomi Kyle on GameRant’s Character Select. During the interview, she spoke about her views on AI and how it is affecting those in the creative space.
Briana White connected her feelings about AI to her streaming and voice acting careers, talking about how it is possible to steal her voice thanks to the thousands of hours of dialogue she has on the internet.
Briana White Discusses AI Concerns and How It Is Robbing Creators
“I wonder where that is coming from,” White said in the interview, as she questioned the ethics of using AI. “At this point, I have hundreds, if not thousands, of hours of me just talking, playing video games online. That could be taken and fed into an AI, along with all of the other streamers that have also thousands of hours or thousands of days of content’s worth, [and] put into a system to create someone like Tilly Norwood.”
For those who are unaware, Tilly Norwood is an AI actress created by Particle6, who has sparked a lot of backlash and added more fuel to the fire that is the generative AI debate in creativity. “In theory, Tilly Norwood looks nothing like me, sounds nothing like me, but the way AI works, AI had to learn what humans look like and sound like based on maybe me,” White said. She went on to say that it is “weird” that an AI could do that when she has “spent a lifetime” crafting herself.
White also drew a comparison to the animation titan that is Disney and Pixar, saying that AI can create an avatar based on the Disney art style because it has been fed with the “hundreds of thousands of Pixar artists that have done that work first.”
The heart of the AI debate rests on the argument that AI cannot create. Instead of creating something unique to itself or inspired by another’s work, it creates based on information taken from others on the internet. Many view this as stealing, while others view this as okay. White stated, “They’re not getting recognition or credit or pay for that work – that talent, their livelihood, and that’s not right.” White also stated that she is aware that “AI is happening” and that it is “out of the box.” Now, the best we can do is “figure out how to do it right.”
