The gaming community has recently been stirred up by the revelation that Embark Studios, the developer behind the game “The Finals,” has been utilizing AI-generated voice performances.
This information came to light following a tweet showcasing some of the game’s voice acting, which led to a podcast interview with one of the game’s audio designers confirming the use of AI voices.
Embark Studios has since responded to the backlash, defending their decision to incorporate AI voices in the game. In a statement provided to IGN, a spokesperson from Embark explained that the game utilizes a mix of recorded voice audio and audio generated via Text-to-Speech (TTS) tools, depending on the context of the game.
They highlighted that while real actors add depth to the game world, TTS allows for tailored voiceovers that can be implemented quickly, especially for contextual in-game action call-outs.
Despite this explanation, the gaming community has expressed concerns over the awkward and unnatural sound of the AI voices. Additionally, the use of AI in this manner raises ethical questions, as it could potentially take away work from human voice actors.
The Screen Actors Guild‐American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) is currently striking over AI performances, highlighting the threat they pose to the livelihoods of voice actors.
Embark Studios clarified that their use of TTS in “The Finals” is always based on real voices, including a mix of professional voice actors and temporary voices from Embark employees. They emphasized that making games without actors is not their end goal, and that TTS technology has introduced new ways for them to collaborate.
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