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Voiceover Actors’ Group Speaks at Lander on “The State of AI in Voiceover”

NAVA speakers

Tim Friedlander, Matthew Parham and Carin Gilfry (left to right) from the National Association of Voice Actors (NAVA) were part of a discussion on “The State of AI in Voiceover” held on January 30 at Lander University.  The voice actors presented via Zoom from Los Angeles for the event hosted by Lander University’s Department of Media and Communication and Monique Sacay-Bagwell, professor of speech and performance. Photos from NAVA

Love it or hate it – AI has become a part of our daily lives. A recent Forbes magazine article stated, “There is little doubt that artificial intelligence will continue to be the most talked-about technology of 2025.”

In a recent “Medically Speaking” event at Lander, neurosurgeons from Advanced Spine and Neurological Associates of Self Regional Healthcare explained the use of AI in medicine to help diagnose diseases.  And, while many hail AI as another important tool in their professional arsenal, on the flip side, voice actors and other professions are concerned about AI changing their professions adversely.

Lander University’s Department of Media and Communication hosted a presentation via Zoom on “The State of AI in Voiceover” with representatives from the National Association of Voice Actors (NAVA) held on January 30 in the Josephine B. Abney Cultural Center.

Monique Sacay-Bagwell, professor of speech and performance and moderator for the event, said, “NAVA’s most notable advocacy work has been to promote and protect the livelihood of voiceover artists from the growing disruption of AI in the industry by requiring ‘consent, control and compensation’ of voiceover actors whose voices have been unfairly used by AI companies.”

Tim Friedlander, president and founder of NAVA, stated on the organization’s website, “We are in imminent danger of long-term damage and the potential elimination of our entire industry and require the immediate protection of our biometric data.”  His organization “strongly urges the FTC to establish guardrails for the AI industry and protect the work and livelihoods of creators.”

Carin Gilfrey, NAVA co-founder and vice-president, noted “We are not anti-technology, we are pro creator,” and added “we all need to be part of the conversation about AI.”

"As an institution of higher learning, it is crucial that we prepare our graduates for their future workplaces, which will increasingly rely on artificial intelligence to compliment workflows and increase productivity," said Dr. Misty Jameson, chair of the Department of Media and Communication at Lander. "It is equally important that we expose our students to the conversations surrounding the use of emerging technologies, such as the concerns expressed by advocacy groups like NAVA."