Voiceover artist Gayanne Potter urging ScotRail to remove her voice from new AI announcements
Gayanne Potter is one of Britain’s most recognisable voices – behind adverts for the likes of Estee Lauder, Apple, LBC radio, and B&Q.
Now, an artificial intelligence (AI) version of her voice is being used on Scotland’s nationalised train network, ScotRail.
But the professional voiceover artist says she had no idea she had been transformed into a robot until a friend called her last week.
“I was devastated, I was furious, I feel completely violated,” she told Sky News.
“My voice is my job, and I should be allowed to know who I am working with and what I am working on.”
Ms Potter’s voice has been used in adverts for the likes of Estee Lauder, Apple, LBC radio, and B&Q
Ms Potter, who lives on the outskirts of Edinburgh, believes the incident can be traced back to a job she completed during the COVID pandemic with Swedish company ReadSpeaker, where she recorded scripts for the visually impaired.
Ms Potter alleges she was unaware the contract allowed her voice to be sold as part of AI years later.
Sky News has seen correspondence where the company appeared to reassure Ms Potter’s agents they “would never sell them (the recordings) to anybody else”.
Responding to concerns, ReadSpeaker insisted there was a “very clear contract” that allows it to “use… synthesised voices for businesses and organisations”.
ScotRail unveiled its new AI announcer, nicknamed “Iona”, on board the railway network in Scotland this month.
The new technology has drawn criticism for mispronouncing place names, with officials asking the public to “give it time”.
Ms Potter says she had no idea she had been transformed into a robot until a friend called her last week
Sky News joined Ms Potter on board a train as she discussed the situation.
She said: “I literally didn’t know. ScotRail never approached me, ReadSpeaker never approached me.
“ScotRail have said it is not a real person. It is a real person, and I am right here.
“This is a real threat. I have worked really hard for the past 20 years and built trust with clients I work with. And now to have my voice in this dreadful robot is demeaning to me.”
She added: “I do not consent to my voice data being used. To find out that my personal human data is being used on the trains is appalling.
“I feel like my data is being burgled. I have no control over it.”
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Union Equity, which represents workers in the creative industries, is helping Ms Potter fight her case.
Liam Budd, industrial official for recorded media at Equity, said: “It is extremely exploitative for companies to use and commercialise voice recordings to create digital replicas of artists from contracts which pre-date the development of generative AI or were not drafted explicitly for this purpose.
“Gayanne is directly competing in a marketplace with a low-quality clone of her own voice that she claims was developed without her informed and explicit consent.
“Not only is this distressing for her, but it would represent an infringement of our members’ data protection and other rights.”
Roy Lindemann, chief marketing officer at ReadSpeaker, dismissed questions from Sky News about Ms Potter’s wishes to withdraw her voice from being sold.
He said the firm was aware of Ms Potter’s concerns, adding: “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.”
ScotRail, which is owned by the Scottish government, said it had “no plans” to remove its “Iona” AI announcer voice system and rejected questions about Ms Potter’s concerns.
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.”
A Transport Scotland spokesperson said: “While sub-contracts are a matter for ScotRail, the Scottish government expects it, as a publicly controlled organisation, to ensure all agreements entered into are within the parameters of Public Sector Procurement guidance and meet Fair Work principles.
“This includes the use of AI technology.”
A 53-year-old man has been charged after a car was driven into a crowd at Liverpool FC’s trophy parade.
Paul Doyle, from the West Derby area of Liverpool, has been charged with seven offences, Merseyside Police said.
The businessman, who is a father-of-three, is accused of two counts of unlawful and malicious wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm, and two counts of causing unlawful and malicious grievous bodily harm with intent to cause grievous bodily harm.
Paul Doyle
Doyle is also accused of two counts of attempted unlawful and malicious grievous bodily harm with intent to cause grievous bodily harm, and one count of dangerous driving.
He is due to appear before Liverpool Magistrates Court on Friday.
The charges relate to six people, including two children. A wounding charge and an attempted grievous bodily harm charge relate to a child.
A police car was outside Doyle’s four-bedroom detached family home in the West Derby area on Thursday morning.
According to his social media, he has travelled extensively including Japan, Fiji, India and Australia. Doyle has posted pictures of himself competing in triathlons, and climbing Mount Kilimanjaro.
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New Liverpool incident footage
Thousands of fans were gathered in Liverpool city centre on Monday to celebrate the Premier League champions’ title win when a car struck a crowd on Water Street.
Police said a total of 79 people were injured in the incident, with the youngest aged nine, and the oldest being a 78-year-old.
Seven people remain in hospital in a stable condition.
Forensic officers at the scene in Water Street. Pic: PA
‘Huge volume of evidence’
Chief crown prosecutor for the CPS Mersey-Cheshire, Sarah Hammond, told a news conference on Thursday that the investigation was at an early stage and a “huge volume of evidence” was being reviewed.
“This includes multiple pieces of video footage and numerous witness statements. It is important to ensure that every victim gets the justice they deserve.
“The charges will be kept under review as the investigation progresses.”
Police ‘working tirelessly’
Also at the briefing where the charges were announced was Assistant Chief Constable of Merseyside Police, Jenny Sims, who said: “I fully understand how this incident has left us all shocked and saddened, and I know many will continue to have concerns and questions.
“Our detectives are working tirelessly, with diligence and professionalism, to seek the answer to all of those questions. When we are able to, we will provide further information.”
The youngest victim injured in the Liverpool parade crash on Monday is nine years old, police have said.
They added that the oldest is 78, with all 79 people injured understood to be British. Seven remain in hospital in a stable condition.
Merseyside Police declined to say what drug the 53-year-old man arrested over the incident is alleged to have taken.
“We wouldn’t go into this detail at this stage of the investigation,” the force said.
Police at the scene in Liverpool. Pic: AP
Forensic officers in Water Street. Pic: PA
Police are still questioning the driver and were granted further time to do so on Wednesday.
Officers have until Thursday evening to question the man from West Derby.
He is in custody on suspicion of attempted murder, dangerous driving and drug driving.
Police believe the car which struck pedestrians was able to follow an ambulance crew attending to someone suffering a heart attack after a road block was temporarily lifted.
Hundreds of thousands of Liverpool fans had turned out to celebrate their team’s Premier League title when the incident unfolded on Water Street just after 6pm on Monday.
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‘My boy in his pram, got bounced’
‘The best day of my life turned into worst’
Sky News interviewed a lifelong Liverpool fan who said his five-month-old son was “bounced” 15ft (4.6m) in his pram after they were hit by the vehicle.
The child was not counted in the police’s injury tally.
Daniel Eveson, 36, also said his partner had been driven over.
“The best day of my life turned into [the] worst,” Mr Eveson said.
He added: “Me and my partner were flat on the roof, on the bonnet… we were just both trying to hold on for dear life with Ted next to us.
“And my partner went under the wheels of the car, of the front of the car, and it rolled over her leg, and I just bounced off to the side, but my boy and his pram got bounced totally in the opposite direction – about 15ft down the road.”
Read more:
How the parade crash unfolded
Police given more time to question Liverpool suspect
Why police released ‘unprecedented’ details
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer travelled to Liverpool to meet with police chiefs and the local metro mayor.
He said he was being kept informed of developments, adding: “The scenes on Monday were just awful, to see how incredible joy at an amazing achievement turned to horror in a moment.”
Messages of support have been sent to the people of Liverpool, including from the King who said: “I know that the strength of community spirit for which your city is renowned will be a comfort and support to those in need.”
The Prince and Princess of Wales said they were “deeply saddened” by the incident.
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