The Golden Globe-nominated TV presenter was delivering a speech about the impacts of AI on the entertainment industry when the accident hit him.
Stephen Fry, the beloved British comedian, actor, and broadcaster, renowned for his contributions to the world of entertainment through films like Gosford Park and V for Vendetta, as well as TV shows such as QI, recently found himself in an unfortunate incident that shocked his fans and colleagues alike.
An unexpected accident on stage
Fry, who also lent his distinctive voice to narrate the entire Harry Potter audiobook series, was delivering a speech at the prestigious AI and Tech festival known as CogX at London's O2 Arena when disaster struck.
As the 66-year-old icon concluded his address at CogX, an event that drew attendees with tickets costing as much as £495, he took an unexpected tumble. Witnesses recount the chilling moment when Fry lost his balance and slipped off the stage, falling approximately six feet to the floor. The fall resulted in injuries to his ribs and legs, prompting immediate medical attention.
An individual who witnessed the incident shared their account, telling The Evening Standard:
'It looked like it was too dark, and there didn't look like there was a handrail. He fell two meters to the floor. He looked to have been hurt as he had to leave in a wheelchair.'
The London Ambulance Service confirmed they responded to 'reports of an incident at the O2 Arena' and dispatched medical personnel, including a medic in a fast-response car, an ambulance crew, and an incident response officer. They treated Fry for his rib and leg injuries before transporting him to the hospital, as per The Mirror.
The severity of Fry's injuries remains undisclosed at this time, and it is unclear whether he is still hospitalized. Additionally, Greenwich council has acknowledged receiving an accident report and is contemplating the necessity of further investigations into the incident.
Stephen Fry: AI is threatening the entertainment industry
Stephen Fry's illustrious career has spanned the worlds of television, film, literature, and beyond. He has graced both the big and small screens, featuring in blockbuster franchises like Peter Jackson's The Hobbit trilogy, Guy Ritchie's Sherlock Holmes films opposite Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law, and Tim Burton's adaptation of Alice in Wonderland. His warm and distinctive voice has also endeared him to audiobook enthusiasts worldwide, particularly for his narration of all seven books in J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter series and the Paddington Bear novels.
During his speech at CogX, Fry, known for his wit and eloquence, raised concerns about the potential misuse of AI technology. He shared a startling example involving his own voice, revealing that his voice recordings from narrating the Harry Potter audiobooks were used without his knowledge or permission to create AI-generated voiceovers for other content. As per The Independent, Fry said:
'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. What you heard was not the result of a mash up, this is from a flexible artificial voice, where the words are modulated to fit the meaning of each sentence.'
The comedian warned that the worst of AI is yet to come:
'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.You ain’t seen nothing yet. This is audio. It won’t be long until full deepfake videos are just as convincing.'
The Hollywood star added how technology, in particular AI, is 'always moving':
'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***ing weird time to be alive.'
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