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Yahoo
28-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Actress claims ScotRail AI use her voice 'like something out of Black Mirror'
A Scottish voice over artist has claimed ScotRail's new AI train announcer uses her voice without her consent. Gayanne Potter claimed Iona is based off recordings she made in 2021, leaving her feeling "violated" and out of control. The government-owned train operator recently rolled out 'Iona', an AI voice on some routes, which replaced older messages recorded by a human, the Daily Record reports. READ MORE: Edinburgh man's warning as 'avian parasite' leaves him trapped in his flat READ MORE: Flight diverted to Edinburgh Airport amid 'unforeseen operational reasons' Now in a widely-shared Facebook post, Ms Potter said ScotRail is dismissing her concerns – asking the company: 'Why continue to choose a dreadful AI version of me when I'm right here?' The actress said she has been in dispute with a Sweden-based company called Readspeaker about the use of her voice data following recordings she made for them in 2021. Join Edinburgh Live's Whatsapp Community here and get the latest news sent straight to your messages. She alleges these recordings were made to provide text-to-speech for translation purposes, and their later use in an AI model called 'Iona' went beyond their agreement. However, Readspeaker says they have a contract to use her voice and their legal team has 'comprehensively' addressed her concerns. Ms Potter's post read: 'I approached the company and expressed my distress at this, as it was far removed from what I believe I signed up for. 'I requested them to cease using my data. They refused. 'Their legal team simply shut down conversations.' The voiceover artist says she received only a 'minimal' fee for the initial work, which she offered to repay to have the data deleted. Her post continues: 'So imagine my distress when I discover that ScotRail have installed the Readspeaker model 'Iona' that contains my biometric voice data as their new announcer on all their trains. 'I did not know. I was not asked. I did not consent.' Ms Potter said she felt 'violated', and argued: 'ScotRail should employ a real human irrespective of who it is.' Referring to a particular station to the north of Glasgow, she said: 'Why continue to choose a dreadful AI version of me when I'm right here… 'And I know how to pronounce Milngavie.' Speaking to the PA news agency on Tuesday, Ms Potter said she is seeking 'an apology from ScotRail and an acknowledgement they have made a mistake'. She said her 'stomach dropped and I felt sick' when she first saw reports of Iona being used on Scottish trains. Ms Potter has now listened to an altered version of her own voice speaking to her on trains, adding: 'I've had people say to me 10 times that this is like an episode of Black Mirror.' The actress argued that use of her voice data for an AI model was not something she could have consented to when she first made the recordings, saying: 'I fully accept that technology has moved on (from 2021) but the right thing to do is to revisit a contract.' Support for her position has been 'incredible', she said, calling for politicians to bring in legislation making it illegal to use AI to impersonate someone without their consent. A spokesman for Readspeaker told the PA news agency: 'Readspeaker is aware of Ms Potter's concerns. 'Readspeaker and Ms Potter have a contract regarding the use of her voice. 'Readspeaker has comprehensively addressed Ms Potter's concerns with her legal representative several times in the past.' Sign up for Edinburgh Live newsletters for more headlines straight to your inbox Phil Campbell, ScotRail Customer Operations Director, said: 'We are always looking at ways to improve the customer journey experience, and we know how important both on-train and at-station announcements are. 'The use of an automated voice allows us to have more control over the announcements being made, ensures consistency for customers, and gives us flexibility to make changes at short notice. 'ScotRail has always used automated announcements in relation to customer information, but it doesn't replace human interaction through either with pre-recorded audio or staff on trains – something that will continue. 'We are working closely with Network Rail and other train operating companies to continue making improvements across Scotland's Railway, and we are hopeful of further developments in the coming months.' The rail operator has told the BBC it does not intend to remove the AI voice from its trains.
Edinburgh Live
28-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Edinburgh Live
Actress claims ScotRail AI use her voice 'like something out of Black Mirror'
Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info A Scottish voice over artist has claimed ScotRail's new AI train announcer uses her voice without her consent. Gayanne Potter claimed Iona is based off recordings she made in 2021, leaving her feeling "violated" and out of control. The government-owned train operator recently rolled out 'Iona', an AI voice on some routes, which replaced older messages recorded by a human, the Daily Record reports. Now in a widely-shared Facebook post, Ms Potter said ScotRail is dismissing her concerns – asking the company: 'Why continue to choose a dreadful AI version of me when I'm right here?' The actress said she has been in dispute with a Sweden-based company called Readspeaker about the use of her voice data following recordings she made for them in 2021. Join Edinburgh Live's Whatsapp Community here and get the latest news sentstraight to your messages. She alleges these recordings were made to provide text-to-speech for translation purposes, and their later use in an AI model called 'Iona' went beyond their agreement. However, Readspeaker says they have a contract to use her voice and their legal team has 'comprehensively' addressed her concerns. Ms Potter's post read: 'I approached the company and expressed my distress at this, as it was far removed from what I believe I signed up for. 'I requested them to cease using my data. They refused. 'Their legal team simply shut down conversations.' The voiceover artist says she received only a 'minimal' fee for the initial work, which she offered to repay to have the data deleted. Her post continues: 'So imagine my distress when I discover that ScotRail have installed the Readspeaker model 'Iona' that contains my biometric voice data as their new announcer on all their trains. 'I did not know. I was not asked. I did not consent.' Ms Potter said she felt 'violated', and argued: 'ScotRail should employ a real human irrespective of who it is.' Referring to a particular station to the north of Glasgow, she said: 'Why continue to choose a dreadful AI version of me when I'm right here… 'And I know how to pronounce Milngavie.' Speaking to the PA news agency on Tuesday, Ms Potter said she is seeking 'an apology from ScotRail and an acknowledgement they have made a mistake'. She said her 'stomach dropped and I felt sick' when she first saw reports of Iona being used on Scottish trains. Ms Potter has now listened to an altered version of her own voice speaking to her on trains, adding: 'I've had people say to me 10 times that this is like an episode of Black Mirror.' The actress argued that use of her voice data for an AI model was not something she could have consented to when she first made the recordings, saying: 'I fully accept that technology has moved on (from 2021) but the right thing to do is to revisit a contract.' Support for her position has been 'incredible', she said, calling for politicians to bring in legislation making it illegal to use AI to impersonate someone without their consent. A spokesman for Readspeaker told the PA news agency: 'Readspeaker is aware of Ms Potter's concerns. 'Readspeaker and Ms Potter have a contract regarding the use of her voice. 'Readspeaker has comprehensively addressed Ms Potter's concerns with her legal representative several times in the past.' Sign up for Edinburgh Live newsletters for more headlines straight to your inbox Phil Campbell, ScotRail Customer Operations Director, said: 'We are always looking at ways to improve the customer journey experience, and we know how important both on-train and at-station announcements are. 'The use of an automated voice allows us to have more control over the announcements being made, ensures consistency for customers, and gives us flexibility to make changes at short notice. 'ScotRail has always used automated announcements in relation to customer information, but it doesn't replace human interaction through either with pre-recorded audio or staff on trains – something that will continue. 'We are working closely with Network Rail and other train operating companies to continue making improvements across Scotland's Railway, and we are hopeful of further developments in the coming months.' The rail operator has told the BBC it does not intend to remove the AI voice from its trains.
Daily Mail
27-05-2025
- Business
- Daily Mail
Words fail me! Scotland's rail operator is using MY voice for its 'dreadful' AI announcer
She is a renowned Scots voice over artist whose career spans over two decades. Having graduated from the Royal Scottish Academy for Music, Gayanne Potter went on to voice adverts, announcements and characters and appeared in a number of TV and film productions. But she is now the latest artist to be embroiled in a row over AI plagiarism after learning her voice data is being used on Scotland's trains without her permission. The trained professional, from Edinburgh, said ScotRail's 'Iona', a recently rolled out AI announcer replacing messages recorded by human on some routes, relies on voice data she recorded four years ago. Ms Potter shared an angry post online accusing the nationalised train operator of dismissing her concerns, asking the company: 'Why continue to choose a dreadful AI version of me when I'm right here?' The actress said she has been in dispute with a Sweden-based company called Readspeaker about the use of her voice data following recordings she made for them in 2021. She alleges they were made to provide text-to-speech for translation purposes, and their later use in an AI model called 'Iona' went beyond their agreement. However, Readspeaker says they have a contract to use her voice and their legal team has 'comprehensively' addressed her concerns. Ms Potter's post read: 'I approached the company and expressed my distress at this, as it was far removed from what I believe I signed up for. 'I requested them to cease using my data. They refused. 'Their legal team simply shut down conversations.' The voice over artist says she received only a 'minimal' fee for the initial work, which she offered to repay to have the data deleted. Her post continues: 'So imagine my distress when I discover that ScotRail have installed the Readspeaker model 'Iona' that contains my biometric voice data as their new announcer on all their trains. 'I did not know. I was not asked. I did not consent.' Ms Potter said she felt 'violated', and argued: 'ScotRail should employ a real human irrespective of who it is.' Referring to a particular station to the north of Glasgow, she said: 'Why continue to choose a dreadful AI version of me when I'm right here... 'And I know how to pronounce Milngavie.' A spokesman for Readspeaker said it was aware of Ms Potter's concerns. He continued: 'Readspeaker and Ms Potter have a contract regarding the use of her voice. 'Readspeaker has comprehensively addressed Ms Potter's concerns with her legal representative several times in the past.' Phil Campbell, ScotRail Customer Operations Director, said: 'We are always looking at ways to improve the customer journey experience, and we know how important both on-train and at-station announcements are. 'The use of an automated voice allows us to have more control over the announcements being made, ensures consistency for customers, and gives us flexibility to make changes at short notice. 'ScotRail has always used automated announcements in relation to customer information, but it doesn't replace human interaction through either with pre-recorded audio or staff on trains - something that will continue. 'We are working closely with Network Rail and other train operating companies to continue making improvements across Scotland's Railway, and we are hopeful of further developments in the coming months.'
STV News
27-05-2025
- Entertainment
- STV News
Actress says ScotRail's new AI announcer uses her voice data without permission
A voiceover artist says her voice data is being used for ScotRail's new AI train announcer without her permission, saying she feels 'violated' and does not have control. The government-owned train operator recently rolled out 'Iona', an AI voice on some routes, which replaced older messages recorded by a human. But established Scottish voiceover artist and actress Gayanne Potter said Iona is based on recordings she made in 2021. Now in a widely-shared Facebook post, Ms Potter said ScotRail is dismissing her concerns – asking the company: 'Why continue to choose a dreadful AI version of me when I'm right here?' The actress said she has been in dispute with a Sweden-based company called Readspeaker about the use of her voice data following recordings she made for them in 2021. She alleges these recordings were made to provide text-to-speech for translation purposes, and their later use in an AI model called 'Iona' went beyond their agreement. However, Readspeaker says they have a contract to use her voice and their legal team has 'comprehensively' addressed her concerns. Ms Potter's post read: 'I approached the company and expressed my distress at this, as it was far removed from what I believe I signed up for. 'I requested them to cease using my data. They refused. 'Their legal team simply shut down conversations.' The voiceover artist says she received only a 'minimal' fee for the initial work, which she offered to repay to have the data deleted. Her post continues: 'So imagine my distress when I discover that ScotRail have installed the Readspeaker model 'Iona' that contains my biometric voice data as their new announcer on all their trains. 'I did not know. I was not asked. I did not consent.' Ms Potter said she felt 'violated', and argued: 'ScotRail should employ a real human irrespective of who it is.' Referring to a particular station to the north of Glasgow, she said: 'Why continue to choose a dreadful AI version of me when I'm right here… 'And I know how to pronounce Milngavie.' A spokesman for Readspeaker told the PA news agency: 'Readspeaker is aware of Ms Potter's concerns. 'Readspeaker and Ms Potter have a contract regarding the use of her voice. 'Readspeaker has comprehensively addressed Ms Potter's concerns with her legal representative several times in the past.' Phil Campbell, ScotRail Customer Operations Director, said: 'We are always looking at ways to improve the customer journey experience, and we know how important both on-train and at-station announcements are. 'The use of an automated voice allows us to have more control over the announcements being made, ensures consistency for customers, and gives us flexibility to make changes at short notice. 'ScotRail has always used automated announcements in relation to customer information, but it doesn't replace human interaction through either with pre-recorded audio or staff on trains – something that will continue. 'We are working closely with Network Rail and other train operating companies to continue making improvements across Scotland's Railway, and we are hopeful of further developments in the coming months.' The rail operator has told the BBC it does not intend to remove the AI voice from its trains. Get all the latest news from around the country Follow STV News Scan the QR code on your mobile device for all the latest news from around the country
Daily Record
27-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Record
Actress claims ScotRail's new 'Iona' AI announcer uses her voice without permission
The government-owned train operator recently rolled out 'Iona', an AI voice on some routes, which replaced older messages recorded by a human. A voiceover artist says her voice data is being used for ScotRail's new AI train announcer without her permission, saying she feels 'violated' and does not have control. The government-owned train operator recently rolled out 'Iona', an AI voice on some routes, which replaced older messages recorded by a human. But established Scottish voiceover artist and actress Gayanne Potter said Iona is based on recordings she made in 2021. Now in a widely-shared Facebook post, Ms Potter said ScotRail is dismissing her concerns – asking the company: 'Why continue to choose a dreadful AI version of me when I'm right here?' The actress said she has been in dispute with a Sweden-based company called Readspeaker about the use of her voice data following recordings she made for them in 2021. She alleges these recordings were made to provide text-to-speech for translation purposes, and their later use in an AI model called 'Iona' went beyond their agreement. However, Readspeaker says they have a contract to use her voice and their legal team has 'comprehensively' addressed her concerns. Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community! Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today. You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland. No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team. All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile, select 'Join Community' and you're in! If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice. Ms Potter's post read: 'I approached the company and expressed my distress at this, as it was far removed from what I believe I signed up for. 'I requested them to cease using my data. They refused. 'Their legal team simply shut down conversations.' The voiceover artist says she received only a 'minimal' fee for the initial work, which she offered to repay to have the data deleted. Her post continues: 'So imagine my distress when I discover that ScotRail have installed the Readspeaker model 'Iona' that contains my biometric voice data as their new announcer on all their trains. 'I did not know. I was not asked. I did not consent.' Ms Potter said she felt 'violated', and argued: 'ScotRail should employ a real human irrespective of who it is.' Referring to a particular station to the north of Glasgow, she said: 'Why continue to choose a dreadful AI version of me when I'm right here… 'And I know how to pronounce Milngavie.' A spokesman for Readspeaker told the PA news agency: 'Readspeaker is aware of Ms Potter's concerns. 'Readspeaker and Ms Potter have a contract regarding the use of her voice. 'Readspeaker has comprehensively addressed Ms Potter's concerns with her legal representative several times in the past.' Phil Campbell, ScotRail Customer Operations Director, said: 'We are always looking at ways to improve the customer journey experience, and we know how important both on-train and at-station announcements are. 'The use of an automated voice allows us to have more control over the announcements being made, ensures consistency for customers, and gives us flexibility to make changes at short notice. 'ScotRail has always used automated announcements in relation to customer information, but it doesn't replace human interaction through either with pre-recorded audio or staff on trains – something that will continue. 'We are working closely with Network Rail and other train operating companies to continue making improvements across Scotland's Railway, and we are hopeful of further developments in the coming months.' The rail operator has told the BBC it does not intend to remove the AI voice from its trains.
