The Skyrim The modding community is currently embroiled in its own deepfake porn controversy, centered around popular modding site NexusMods and AI voice cloning technology. Ahead of the release of Bethesda’s upcoming space epic starfieldand believing that the game will be something of an Eden for the modding community, those opposed to the use of AI-generated pornographic mods emphasize the importance of monitoring this type of content, especially when it comes to consent Gathering everyone whose bio data was used to create the AI mod.
Continue reading: The aftermath of Twitch’s deepfake porn scandal
Since then it has been possible to insert characters, add lines of speech and change the appearance through modding SkyrimOriginally released in 2011, Bethesda’s open-world role-playing game is already notorious for being a playground for erotic content, where players can pose and dress NPCs as they please. However, advances in AI technology have expanded what players can import into their games. Current mods (of which there are dozens) use voice cloning technology from companies like ElevenLabs to mimic the voices of existing mods Skyrim Characters reenacting scripts written by the modders make characters like Frea the shaman and Illdi the bard willing participants in a variety of sexual encounters. Of course, even though these are fictional characters, they’re voiced by real people – and therein lies the problem.
The Skyrim AI deepfake controversy
Many of the pornographic voice line mods also include or link to visual overhaul mods for the characters (which are almost exclusively female) to make them look more realistic or, in many cases, bustier.
I’ve seen a few of these mods in action, and they certainly don’t come close to depicting a realistic sexual encounter – the wooden lines of the AI-generated voices are another reminder that AI can’t and shouldn’t replace real humans – but it does that doesn’t make the existence of such mods any less problematic.
Robbie, the Twitter user who drew attention to these mods (himself a Skyrim modder) claims that voice actors who have turned to NexusMods, the largest mod repository for games like skyrim, were able to get the content related to them removed. my city asked for confirmation via email and Robbie sent a link to a mod called Valerica, Lust of a Mother.
The mod originally stated, “Currently, all content is dubbed with AI software and I have a lot of respect for the voice actors.” If they contact me and want this removed as it uses their voices as a basis, I will and re-upload a version that is either unvoiced or uses a similar-sounding voice sample.” An addendum reads, “Due to actions by the Reddit community, I’m sorry to say that I had to remove the voiced versions of this mod in order to keep it in the Nexus.”
Robbie claims he and others reached out to Valerica’s voice actress, Cindy Robinson, to bring the mod to their attention and she said she would ask for it to be removed. my city She reached out to Robinson for comment, and she personally confirmed it stretched out.
NexusMods, said in one Statement of April 2023 “AI-generated mod content does not violate our rules, but may be removed if we receive a credible complaint from an affected creator/rights owner.” This stance has proved controversial, particularly given the current number of AI-generated mods on the site are active. my city I reached out to NexusMods for comment.
The delicate situation has prompted the community to have conversations about what happens next. Robbie wrote in Reddit post in Skyrim
The original post also referenced ElevenLabs’ Terms of Service, which allegedly require people using the software to obtain their consent to “upload and clone” speech samples. While ElevenLabs requires those who use its voice-cloning technology to become paid subscribers to its service to curb use for nefarious reasons, it’s clear that this hasn’t stopped people from adopting the technology for creating explicit content to use. my city I reached out to ElevenLabs for comment.
Voice actors took to Twitter to express their anger, frustration and, in many cases, disgust. Aggretsuko Actor Ben Diskin pinned a tweet to his Twitter timeline asking people to let him know when they see his voice on such sites. “I do not consent to having my voice(s) converted into synthetic voice clones without my absolute, clear, specific and unquestionable consent,” he wrote. Diablo IV Voice actor Ryan Laughton called the practice “wrong in every way”.
The National Association for Voice Actors tweeted that “the damage to voice actors and game companies from AI and synthetic voices is real and tangible” and called on Bethesda and parent studio ZeniMax to “help” as “the voice actors don’t have the legal authority .” to fight it.”
Skyrim Players and viewers also weighed in, with many expressing displeasure at the prospect of their voices being fed into an AI generator that spits out explicit content. “If someone used my voice to produce AI-generated content without my consent, I would be furious as hell. If someone were to use my voice to produce pornography without my consent I would immediately call the police to have that person and the website hosting this material destroyed,” wrote u/robbobert01.
my city reached out to Bethesda for comment.
Update 5/7/2023 at 4:55pm ET: Added to include information on how to remove an AI generated voice in a mod.
Update 5/7/2023 at 5:15pm ET: Added to include confirmation from Cindy Robinson.
