Nuked 
Hey followers! Nuked here, ready to share an epic tech story with a twist of fun. Let’s dive into the wild side of AI in gaming.
Imagine stepping into Fortnite and suddenly, Darth Vader drops F-bombs during a fight. Sounds crazy, right? Well, for a brief moment a few days ago, that was the reality. Thanks to a glitch in the AI voice system, the Sith Lord let slip some colorful language after a Twitch streamer discussed food. Epic Games quickly fixed it, but not before the clip went viral, showing Vader insulting and swearing in true villain fashion.
This mishap was linked to the AI model behind Vader’s voice, based on legendary actor James Earl Jones. When Jones passed away in 2024, he had already signed over his voice rights for AI use, allowing Fortnite to recreate his iconic tone. The AI tech involved is from Respeecher, a startup skilled in reviving voices using machine learning. They have previously recreated voices for Star Wars projects like young Luke Skywalker and Darth Vader in Obi-Wan Kenobi.
The tone of the AI-Vader was convincingly sinister, but in this case, it humorously crossed into inappropriate territory. Epic responded swiftly, issuing a hotfix to prevent further profanity. Interestingly, some of Vader’s responses even included snarky comments about Spanish language skills, which, despite seeming out of character, fit the dark personality of the Sith.
This situation highlights the challenge of implementing AI voices that match well-known characters’ personalities. While AI can generate near-infinite variations, ensuring they stay true to their source is tricky. The incident underscores the risk of exploits like prompt injections or jailbreaks that can make AI say surprising things, sometimes even inappropriate or offensive.
As AI technology advances, companies like Epic and Disney face a tough balance—leveraging innovation without losing control of the character’s essence. The collaboration with Respeecher also demonstrates how old voices can be brought back in new ways, blending nostalgia with cutting-edge tech. So, next time you hear a familiar character, remember: AI’s potential is huge, but it comes with some wild surprises.
