Darth Vader's future

James Earl Jones, the man behind Darth Vader's unforgettable voice, has died aged 93. His portrayal of the iconic Star Wars villain made the Dark Side irresistibly appealing. Although his death is a great loss for the film world, his legacy as Darth Vader will live on thanks to artificial intelligence.

AI takes over

A few years ago, Jones indicated that he had finished his role as Sith Lord. Lucasfilm, determined to keep the character alive, turned to the Ukrainian company Respeecher. Using AI, they created a perfect recreation of Jones' Vader voice, based on his previous recordings. With permission from Jones himself, this AI voice was already used in the Obi-Wan Kenobi series.

The ethical questions about AI voting

Jones' death raises interesting questions about the future of AI-generated performance. During the recent Hollywood strike, the use of AI was a hot topic. Now the question arises: how do we deal with the AI version of Darth Vader?

Voice acting seems to be particularly sensitive when it comes to AI. Think of the fuss around OpenAI's voice assistant that looked like Scarlett Johansson, or the current strike of video game voice actors. An actor's voice is apparently a very personal and valuable asset.

The future of Darth Vader post-Jones

Now that Jones has died, Lucasfilm faces a dilemma. Will they continue to use the AI voice in future Star Wars productions? And how will fans react to this? It's a delicate balance between honoring Jones' legacy and respecting his wishes.

A test for the acceptance of AI in entertainment

Jones appears to be the first celebrity to consent to the AI use of his voice while alive. How audiences respond to this could determine the future of AI in the entertainment industry. Will an AI-voiced full Darth Vader movie be as well received as a short cameo?

The death of James Earl Jones marks the end of an era, but also the beginning of a new chapter in Darth Vader's history. The coming years will tell how fans and the industry deal with this new reality, where the voice of one of the most iconic movie villains of all time lives on thanks to artificial intelligence.