"Baldur's Gate 3" Actors Slam AI Voice Acting, Call for Return to Human Recording

The value of human voice acting has once again been unequivocally affirmed by leading voices in the industry. This time, however, it was a core actor from Baldur's Gate 3 who stepped forward. Neil Newbon supports the studio's decision to abandon AI voice acting. This stance is far more convincing than any purely technical debate. Indeed, actors are the key to imbuing game characters with soul.

The studio replaced all machine-generated voice acting in their new project. Neil believes that large-scale projects can fully afford the costs of professional recording. Generative technology is currently unable to convey the nuances of real human emotion. The performance delivered by machines ultimately cannot compare to the soul infused by actors. Cost should not be an excuse for compromising the quality of the work.

The misuse of generative AI in the gaming industry is indeed prevalent. Many publishers are doing this simply to save money rather than truly pursuing quality. This replacement action has set a proper benchmark for the entire industry. Returning to human voice acting is the right choice to be responsible for the player experience. The audience's ears are discerning; you cannot fool them, only yourself.

Resistance within the player community against AI replacing actors is running high. If major studios continue to ignore this, they will sooner or later suffer market backlash. Hopefully, more studios will follow suit in abandoning this technology. The longevity of a work depends on whether creators respect every consumer. This is the basic dignity that games, as the Ninth Art, should possess.