Introduction to the Vulgar Vader Situation
In that sense, the vulgar Vader situation creates a touchy dilemma for Epic Games and Disney, which likely invested substantially in this high-profile collaboration. While Epic acted swiftly in response, maintaining the feature while preventing further Jedi mind tricks from players presents ongoing technical challenges for interactive AI speech of any kind.
The Challenge of AI Language Models
AI language models like the one constructing responses for Vader are fairly easy to trick with exploits like prompt injections and jailbreaks, and that has limited their usefulness in some applications. Imagine a truly ChatGPT-like Siri or Alexa, for example, that could be tricked into saying racist things on behalf of Apple or Amazon.
David Prowse as Darth Vader and Carrie Fisher as Princess Leia filming the original Star Wars.
Credit:
Sunset Boulevard/Corbis via Getty Images
The Technology Behind AI Darth Vader
Beyond language models, the AI voice technology behind the AI Darth Vader voice in Fortnite comes from Respeecher, a Ukrainian startup we covered in 2022 that creates new conversations from revitalized old voice recordings. It uses an AI model trained on examples of speech from voice actors that can then synthesize new speech in the same style.
Previous Collaborations
Respeecher previously worked with Lucasfilm on The Book of Boba Fett to recreate young Luke Skywalker’s voice and on Obi-Wan Kenobi for Darth Vader’s voice performance.
Family Support
According to Variety, Jones’ family supported the Fortnite collaboration, stating: "James Earl felt that the voice of Darth Vader was inseparable from the story of Star Wars, and he always wanted fans of all ages to continue to experience it. We hope that this collaboration with Fortnite will allow both longtime fans of Darth Vader and newer generations to share in the enjoyment of this iconic character."
Update
This article was updated on May 16, 2025 at 4:25 PM to include information about an email sent out from Epic Games to parents.
Conclusion
The vulgar Vader situation highlights the challenges of using AI language models and voice technology in interactive applications. While the technology has the potential to create unique and engaging experiences, it also raises concerns about the potential for exploitation and misuse.
FAQs
Q: What is the issue with the AI Darth Vader voice in Fortnite?
A: The AI Darth Vader voice in Fortnite was found to be vulnerable to exploits, allowing players to make it say inappropriate things.
Q: What technology is used to create the AI Darth Vader voice?
A: The AI voice technology behind the AI Darth Vader voice in Fortnite comes from Respeecher, a Ukrainian startup that creates new conversations from revitalized old voice recordings.
Q: Has Respeecher worked with Lucasfilm before?
A: Yes, Respeecher previously worked with Lucasfilm on The Book of Boba Fett and Obi-Wan Kenobi to recreate voices for characters.
Q: Did James Earl Jones’ family support the Fortnite collaboration?
A: Yes, according to Variety, Jones’ family supported the Fortnite collaboration, stating that they wanted fans of all ages to continue to experience the iconic character of Darth Vader.
