Gayanne Potter Appeals to ScotRail to Ditch Her Voice in New AI Train Announcements

Gayanne Potter is one of Britain’s most recognizable voices, having lent her talents to advertisements for Estee Lauder, Apple, LBC radio, and B&Q. However, an AI-generated version of her voice is now being utilized by Scotland’s nationalized train service, ScotRail.

Potter expressed her shock upon discovering this transformation when a friend informed her last week. “I was devastated, I was furious, I feel completely violated,” she shared with Sky News. “My voice is my job, and I should be aware of who I am collaborating with and the projects I am involved in.”

Residing on the outskirts of Edinburgh, Potter suspects this may stem from a project she completed during the COVID pandemic for the Swedish company ReadSpeaker, where she recorded scripts intended for the visually impaired. She claims she was completely unaware that her contract would allow her voice to be commercialized as part of AI in the years to come. Sky News reviewed communications where ReadSpeaker appeared to reassure her agents that recordings “would never be sold to anybody else.” In response to concerns, ReadSpeaker maintained that a “very clear contract” grants them the rights to “use… synthesized voices for businesses and organizations.”

Recently, ScotRail introduced its new AI announcer, dubbed “Iona,” across its rail network in Scotland. This technology has faced criticism for mispronouncing place names, prompting officials to ask the public for understanding and patience.

While on a train with Sky News, Potter shared her thoughts about the situation: “I literally didn’t know. ScotRail has not reached out to me, nor has ReadSpeaker.” She emphasized, “ScotRail claims it isn’t a real person. Yet, it is a real person, and I am right here.” She voiced her concerns about the threat this poses: “I have worked diligently for the last 20 years and built trust with my clients. Now, having my voice used in this manner is demeaning to me.” Potter firmly stated, “I do not consent to my voice data being utilized. Discovering that my personal data is being exploited by the trains is appalling. It feels as though my data is being stolen, and I have no control over it.”

Union Equity, representing individuals in the creative industry, is supporting Potter as she navigates this issue. Liam Budd, an official with Equity, commented, “It is incredibly unfair for companies to exploit and commercialize voice recordings to create digital replicas of artists without informed consent or contracts designed for this purpose. Gayanne is now competing in a market with a subpar clone of her voice, developed without her explicit knowledge.” He added, “This situation not only causes emotional distress for her, but it also infringes on our members’ data protection and rights.”

Roy Lindemann, the chief marketing officer at ReadSpeaker, responded to inquiries from Sky News regarding Potter’s desire to withdraw her voice from circulation. He stated that the firm is aware of her concerns and reiterated that there is a contractual agreement regarding her voice’s use, emphasizing, “ReadSpeaker has addressed Ms. Potter’s issues with her legal representative multiple times in the past.”

ScotRail, owned by the Scottish government, has no intentions of discontinuing its “Iona” AI voice system and has dismissed inquiries related to Potter’s concerns. Phil Campbell, ScotRail’s customer operations director, noted, “We continuously seek ways to enhance the customer experience, recognizing the significance of both on-train and at-station announcements. An automated voice enables us greater control over announcements, ensuring consistency and allowing for quick adaptations.”

A spokesperson from Transport Scotland added, “While sub-contracts fall under ScotRail’s purview, the Scottish government anticipates that, as a publicly controlled entity, ScotRail will ensure its agreements align with Public Sector Procurement guidelines and adhere to Fair Work principles, which includes the use of AI technology.”