‘AI Is Coming For All Of Us’: Jennifer Hale Slams Technology Amid Gaming Strikes

As a gamer with decades of immersion in countless virtual worlds, I wholeheartedly stand with Jennifer Hale and her fellow voice actors. The use of AI in the gaming industry is not just a tool, it’s a double-edged sword. While it may save costs and time for developers, it threatens to erode the very essence of our craft – the human touch that breathes life into characters we love.

Lately, well-known voice artist Jennifer Hale has strongly criticized the increasing use of artificial intelligence in video games. Particularly, she’s concerned about the practice of replacing human voice actors with AI, which is seen as a cost-effective and time-saving measure. However, she believes this trend undermines our capacity to support our families, stating that it’s like using technology to rob us of the opportunity to provide for our children.

Hale is a well-known voice actor in the gaming industry, lending his talent to games such as Baldur’s Gate, Mass Effect, Mortal Kombat, The Elder Scrolls, World of Warcraft, and numerous others.

‘AI is Just a Tool’

In conversation with Variety, Hale criticized extensively the employment of AI voice artists, an issue under debate during the ongoing SAG-AFTRA strikes that are significantly halting the industry progress in multiple aspects.

AI is pervasive in our lives, as it’s merely a tool, similar to a hammer. Just as a hammer can construct a home for you, it can also be wielded to cause harm and dismantle your identity.
If you’re leveraging something originally derived from our bodies or voices for profit, might it be fair for us to receive compensation? As it stands, you’re harnessing technology to undermine our capacity to provide for our families.

AI duplication of voices. Various technologies exist that can mimic an actor’s voice and speak whatever programmers choose, leading to numerous problems related to fraud and false information.

In a more relaxed and conversational tone: Notably, actors like Roger Clark (Red Dead Redemption II) and Ned Luke (GTA 5) have openly criticized the use of AI to replicate characters. I had a chat with Doug Cockle (The Witcher), who strongly denounced AI replication as nothing less than outright theft.

Do you think voice actors are right to be concerned about the growing use of AI in gaming?

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