Roger Clark, the actor best known for his memorable portrayal of Arthur Morgan in Red Dead Redemption 2, is apparently not a fan of using AI technology for music covers or memes. Given his prominent position in one of the most commercially successful Rockstar games of all time, Clark's viewpoint carries significant weight and prompts an insightful discussion regarding the relationship between technology and creative integrity.
As artificial intelligence keeps evolving at a frightening pace, more and more critics are expressing their concerns about the possible risks and ethical problems related to AI development. After all, this technology has the potential to revolutionize many industries, such as the writing and acting industries. One of the main concerns raised by critics is the potential loss of jobs due to automation, and it seems like that is also the stance taken by Red Dead Redemption 2's Roger Clark.
In a recently released TikTok video, Clark calls AI covers “plagiarism software,” possibly alluding to the fact that actors’ likenesses could be used without their permission. The actor also references the ongoing WGA and SAG-AFTRA strike in Hollywood, wherein actors and writers are striking against movie studios for the right to be fairly compensated for their work. Clark also gives an ominous warning in addition to his comments about the Hollywood strike, forewarning meme enthusiasts that if they keep sharing AI-generated material on the internet, this will be all they will have left in the end.
With the rise of AI, actors run the risk of having their images stolen and used to make it look like the actor is appearing in unauthorized productions, potentially opening the door for studios to use performers’ likenesses without permission or compensation. Both SAG and AFTRA have spoken out about fears of studios using AI to generate fictitious performances and eliminating jobs for actors.
There is no denying that AI-generated content can be very amusing and entertaining. Many people enjoy hearing AI music covers or watching realistic deepfake clips that seamlessly incorporate their favorite actors into mainstream movies. Even in the gaming industry, AI-produced content can create numerous exciting gameplay opportunities, as such is the case for a Skyrim mod that uses AI to generate memories for the game’s numerous NPCs.
That being said, the Red Dead Redemption 2 actor raises a valid argument, as the increased use of AI technologies raises countless questions regarding copyright violations and ownership of intellectual property. It remains to be seen how society will handle this difficult problem in the future.
Red Dead Redemption 2 is available for PC, PS4, and Xbox One.
