#GayannePotter
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ScotRail to replace controversial AI voice on trains

#Scotland #Railways #ScotRail #Technology #AIVoiceToBeReplaced
#GayannePotter #VoiceoverArtist #BBC

www.bbc.com/news/article...
ScotRail to replace controversial AI voice on trains
Voiceover artist Gayanne Potter said a "dreadful" robotic version of her voice was being used on trains
www.bbc.com
August 25, 2025 at 1:35 PM
equityaudio.bsky.social
Listen to #GayannePotter and @Equityuk.bsky.social's Gen Sec #PaulFleming talk about the case, and #ScotRail & @readspeaker.com's unethical use of AI and Gayanne's voice, with @rosatkins.bsky.social on #TheMediaShow here (23mins in):

www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/...

#StopAIStealingTheShow
The Media Show - Reporting from the Hajj at Mecca, Katherine Maher from National Public Radio in America takes on President Trump's funding cuts - BBC Sounds
Reporting on the Hajj at Mecca, Katherina Maher from National Public Radio in America.
www.bbc.co.uk
June 4, 2025 at 8:27 PM
dellaphillips.com
Disgusting behaviour @readspeaker.com, do you work for nothing? I doubt it! Put this right! #GayannePotter didn’t even know you were going to use her voice and isn’t being paid for this! I am appalled! I hope you lose all your customers and all respect anyone had for you! Put this right! 😡
ninabake2.bsky.social Nina Baker @ninabake2.bsky.social · May 27
This is appalling.
#ScotRail #MSPs @paulsweeney.bsky.social Ask some serious questions about this, please.
https://www.facebook.com/gayanne.potter I discovered last week that Scotrail’s new horrible AI train announcer ‘Iona’ is in fact using my voice data - and nobody told me. Ahead of tomorrow’s BBC coverage, I want to share my story. I have been in dispute with a company in Sweden, Readspeaker, for over two years to get my voice data removed from their website. In 2021, in the middle of COVID, through phone conversations and emails with the company - Readspeaker, I was led to believe the job was to provide text to speech recordings to be used for translation purposes from foreign language copy pasted into their site, and as an accessibility tool for people with visual impairment. Cut to 2023. I was alerted by a concerned Producer that an AI voice model under the guise of ‘Iona’ along with an AI generated image of a red haired woman, was available for purchase to be used for much wider purposes on the Readspeaker site. That voice is mine. I approached the company and expressed my distress at this, as it was far removed from what I believe I signed up for. I requested them to cease using my data. They refused. Their legal team simply shut down conversations. We tried several different approaches. ‘You’ve had 2 years profit from use of my voice data. Given the minimal fee paid to me at the time, you’ve had more than fair use. Please remove my voice data from your site’ No. We even offered to repay the initial fee simply to have my voice data removed and deleted. No. We filed a full complaint to the ICO. Because Readspeaker is in Sweden (despite having offices in London) it falls under Swedish Jurisdiction. So we are in process of working with EU lawyers to take this further. I will not let this rest. So imagine my distress when I discover that Scotrail have installed the Readspeaker model ‘Iona’ that contains my biometric voice data as their new announcer on all their trains. I did not know. I was not asked. I did not consent. I was not given a choice. To be clear, other than the initial minimal fee I was paid 4 years ago - believing I was recording a helpful accessibility tool - I have received no further remuneration from Readspeaker at all. Readspeaker are profiting every time. Scotrail are now in possession of all the facts, yet ‘Iona’ is still being used on their trains. They say it’s a Readspeaker problem. 4 years ago we didn’t have the AI we use now. You cannot consent to something that doesn’t exist. You should be able to withdraw your consent at any point. Readspeaker won’t let me. Yet they say on their website they are ethical and look after their voice talent. I disagree. This has taken two years of my life. If this resonates with you, please make some noise. Scotrail should employ a real human irrespective of who it is. Readspeaker should allow me the right to withdraw consent. This has taken two years of my life. If this resonates with you, please make some noise. Scotrail should employ a real human irrespective of who it is. Readspeaker should allow me the right to withdraw consent. It’s not about money. It’s about my identity. I feel violated. My voice may be something I use as a tool, but it’s also my personal data and I should have control over that. And as for Scotrail - Why continue to choose a dreadful AI version of me when I’m right here… And I know how to pronounce Milngavie. Thanks for reading Gayanne x Human Being
May 27, 2025 at 10:41 PM