Baldur’s Gate 3 Actor Speaks Out Against AI in Voice Acting: “F**k AI In Performance”
Actor Neil Newbon, the voice behind Astarion in Baldur’s Gate 3, has expressed strong opinions on the role of artificial intelligence in gaming, particularly regarding voice performance. He didn’t hold back, stating, “Forget AI in performance.” His comments were in response to the use of AI-generated voice lines in games like Embark’s The Finals and Arc Raiders. In the case of Arc Raiders, the studio employed human actors to record initial voice lines but then utilized AI to manipulate those recordings for additional content. Newbon highlighted that despite Arc Raiders’ commercial success, it would be wise for Embark to bring back the original actors to re-record the lines. “Maybe go back to those actors you paid however much money to clone their voices; maybe get them in the booth and re-record that stuff. Just saying. You’ve got the money now, spread the wealth,” he suggested. He firmly believes that there’s no justification for replacing human jobs with AI, stating, “I don’t really think it’s legitimate. If you’re going to not record the lines in the first place and just use AI to take somebody’s voice and manipulate it however the hell you want, that’s a problem.”
Newbon also pointed out that most actors are not wealthy and often face financial struggles throughout their careers. While Embark has not revealed the identities of the voice actors in Arc Raiders or their compensation, Newbon emphasized that many in the profession “struggle for our entire career.” He further criticized AI-generated voice lines, describing them as “boring” and lacking the emotional depth needed for immersive gameplay. “It’s dull as hell. I don’t believe it; it takes me out of the immersion. People are saying it helps the immersion because it’s reactive. It takes me out of the experience because I just hear something that doesn’t sound like a human being in jeopardy, or in combat, or excitement, or whatever emotion you’re supposed to be aiming for,” he explained.
Looking ahead, Larian, the developer behind Baldur’s Gate 3, is working on a new Divinity game. CEO Swen Vincke recently addressed the studio’s use of AI technologies in early development, assuring fans that no AI-generated content will make it into the final game. His remarks sparked discussion, leading Vincke to clarify that Larian is focused on hiring more staff rather than reducing its workforce, and that AI is intended for exploration rather than production.
