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Credit: Inside the MagicAfter giving an impassioned speech on the dangers of Artificial Intelligence (AI), a beloved Harry Potter and Disney icon fell off the stage and was rushed to the hospital.
Harry Potter is one of the most beloved franchises in the entire world. It is one of the most successful film series of all time, kickstarting the careers of Daniel Radcliffe (Harry Potter), Emma Watson (Hermione Granger), Rupert Grint (Ron Weasley), and Tom Felton (Draco Malfoy). It has also created numerous hit video games, spinoff series, and even the Wizarding World of Harry Potter theme park lands.
All of this success came from books written by the now-controversial JK Rowling. And for a large group of fans, one person is the voice for the entire series: Stephen Fry.
@theqielves From QI Series H, Ep. 14 ‘Hocus Pocus’ with #stephenfry #alandavies #leemack #grahamnorton #danielradcliffe – #qi #qielves #fact #magic
A British comedy legend, Fry is known for his work with Hugh Laurie, Rowan Atkinson, and Emma Thompson. He holds numerous film and TV credits, including QI (2003-present), V for Vendetta (2006), and Red, White, and Royal Blue (2023), as well as Chessur the Cheshire Cat in Alice in Wonderland (2010) and Alice Through the Looking Glass (2016).
However, Stephen Fry is recognized by most of the world as the voice of the Harry Potter audiobooks, narrating the entire series for the United Kingdom as well as three installments of the Harry Potter video games. Stephen Fry is as much a part of Harry Potter as Daniel Radcliffe, which is why it was so shocking when AI stole his voice from his Harry Potter narrations.
Stephen Fry Warns of AI Dangers After Voice Was Stolen From ‘Harry Potter’ Narration
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People have already seen multiple examples of AI creating artwork of celebrities or recreating an artist’s iconic style. However, the world was shocked when AI successfully recreated Stephen Fry’s voice based on his narration of the Harry Potter series.
In response, Fry gave a speech at the CogX Festival regarding the potential dangers of AI. He compared the technology to the myth of Prometheus, questioning whether it is something we should be experimenting with. The actor also played a clip of his voice that narrated a historical documentary.
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“I said not one word of that—it was a machine. Yes, it shocked me,” said Fry. “They used my reading of the seven volumes of the Harry Potter books, and from that dataset, an AI of my voice was created, and it made that new narration.”
Fry continued, “It could therefore have me read anything from a call to storm parliament to hard porn, all without my knowledge and without my permission. And this, what you just heard, was done without my knowledge. So I heard about this, I sent it to my agents on both sides of the Atlantic, and they went ballistic—they had no idea such a thing was possible.” He then warned his agents, “You ain’t seen nothing yet.”
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“Tech is not a noun; it is a verb. It is always moving. What we have now is not what will be. When it comes to AI models, what we have now will advance at a faster rate than any technology we have ever seen. One thing we can all agree on: it’s a f—— weird time to be alive.”
Indeed, it is, especially with what happened after Fry’s speech.
The Harry Potter Narrator Was Hospitalized Shortly After His Speech
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While the speech was immediately well-received, an unfortunate accident followed soon afterward. While exiting the O2 venue, Stephen Fry fell off the stage and onto the floor, a distance of approximately six feet. The actor sustained leg and rib injuries and was quickly rushed to the local hospital.
This incident was confirmed by an anonymous source to the Daily Mail, who said, “He fell two meters to the floor. He looked to have been hurt as he had to leave in a wheelchair.”
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A spokesperson for the event said, “We were deeply concerned to hear of Stephen’s accident after giving his inspirational speech on the impact of AI. We are thinking of him and wishing him a swift recovery. We have opened our own inquiry, and until then, we are not able to share any further details.”
No statement has been made regarding his current condition. Inside The Magic wishes Stephen Fry a speedy recovery.
What is your favorite Stephen Fry performance? Let Inside the Magic know in the comments below.