Amazon has discreetly pulled its AI-created English dubs for numerous anime following severe backlash. Voice actors and anime enthusiasts slammed the AI dubs for “Banana Fish,” “No Game No Life: Zero,” and “Vinland Saga,” labeling them as “lifeless,” “disrespectful,” and “utterly awful.”
Videos of these AI-created dubs spread on social media after being included in Prime Video, marked as “AI beta” in audio language choices. The AI voices were ridiculed for their clumsy delivery. The National Association of Voice Actors (NAVA) denounced the dubs as “AI slop.”
Voice actress Kara Edwards revealed that her child found the “Banana Fish” AI clips amusing, comparing them to “The Room” in terms of awkwardness.
The choice to utilize AI for “Banana Fish” faced particular condemnation. The anime, which debuted in 2018, holds significant importance in LGBTQ+ manga and anime. Fans had anticipated an official English dub, but the AI rendition was not what they desired.
Voice actor Daman Mills voiced his anger, asserting that employing AI for a queer trauma narrative was disrespectful and pledged not to collaborate with Amazon again unless the situation was rectified. Jacob Hopkins also took aim at Amazon, calling for a boycott of Prime.
Other titles such as “No Game No Life: Zero” and “Vinland Saga” also received AI dubs, even though they already had human-voiced English versions. Voice actress Christina Kelly deemed Amazon’s actions a mockery, while Johnny Young Bosch stressed the necessity of human dubbing.
Questions arose about Amazon’s methods for creating its AI dubs, with Briana White wondering whether the actors whose voices were used for AI training got proper recognition or payment.
NAVA emphasized the artistry and emotion needed for human dubbing, which AI fails to replicate. Amazon has retracted the English AI dubs, leaving fans to look for human-produced alternatives. Nonetheless, the Spanish AI dubs remain accessible, leading to demands for their removal as well.
Previously, Amazon had revealed a pilot initiative for AI-generated dubs in March, yielding disappointing outcomes. The company has been increasingly adopting generative AI, including for video summaries and product descriptions.