The capabilities and uses for AI continue to develop at an incredible pace, and now AI has taken its first steps into the world of voice acting in Space Junk. A brand new adult comedy series starring Jon Heder (Napoleon Dynamite), and Tony Cavalero (School of Rock) follows the adventures of Earth’s last line of defense: space garbagemen. The series comes from the mind of Workaholics writer Dominic Russo.
However, the most interesting aspect of this series is likely the integration and collaboration with technology throughout its development. Toonstar is a studio that has taken innovation in the entertainment industry to a whole new level. Using blockchain technology and engaging a group of exclusive digital token holders, Toonstar claims to deliver a level of interactivity that can rival the gaming industry. One of these innovations is a character with a completely computer-generated AI voice.
Space Junk’s Wellbecca Is The First Fully AI-Voiced Character
A robot named Wellbecca, the character will be a prominent part of the Space Junk crew, in addition to appearing in short stories which will be generated by prompts the community can feed to the AI to develop and expand the Space Junk universe. While artificial intelligence and its use in artistic and creative mediums continue to be controversial, the development is at the very least intriguing. Andrea Berry, the Head of Business Development at Theta Labs who is working with Toonstar on Space Junk’s innovative approaches expressed excitement about what the series could mean for the entertainment industry and “what’s possible when you use blockchain technology to empower creators and fans to engage and create in powerful new ways.”
You can hear Wellbecca’s AI voice for the first time in the Space Junk teaser trailer. Watch and listen below and find Wellbecca’s (slightly disturbing) AI speech from 1:45-1:53.
How Space Junk’s AI Robot Wellbecca Works
Precise details on how Wellbecca will function in and around Space Junk are scarce at present. The character will provide a way for fans of the series to interact and guide the story in association with the cast and crew. In addition to Toonstar and Theta Labs, Verified Labs, a Web3 talent agency with a number of deceased clients on their books such as the estate of Ernest Hemingway and Tupac Shakur join the team behind the series and add a dynamic element that is likely responsible for providing the voice of Wellbecca.
The founding members of Toonstar also possess experienced storytellers who have worked for major brands such as Disney, Warner Bros. and Dreamworks. And finally, Theta Labs has been responsible for pioneering next-generation technologies to deliver video and entertainment through a decentralized live streaming platform. Theta is also connected to global tech leaders such as Google, Samsung, and Sony as they form part of the governance council for the company. With such a wealth of talent, support, and innovation, the teams behind Space Junk certainly appear to possess the right tools and abilities to deliver such a ground-breaking project as the AI-powered Wellbecca on the small screen.
Space Junk releases May 19th – Sign up to be notified and watch Space Junk as soon as it releases here!
Follow Us
