Baldur’s Gate 3 Actor Says AI Is Creating An ‘Oil and Water’ Disaster For The Industry

Summary

• Voice actor Samantha Béart criticizes AI in game development as money-driven.
• Actors fear AI replacing them in games, impacting their livelihoods.
• Steam mandates transparency in AI use, impacting more than just voice actors.

With an increasing number of game publishers pushing for AI (Artificial Intelligence) use in game development, the people actually working on the game aren’t really big fans of the idea. This is the same case with the voice actors, which we saw happen on the Apex Legends franchise recently.

This time, one of the voice actors behind the mega-hit Baldur’s Gate 3 has spoken out against AI, and what they said makes a lot of sense.

Artificial Intelligence Is Creating An “Oil & Water” Situation Between Artists And Executives Claims Baldur’s Gate 3 Actor

Voice actor Samantha Béart, who plays Karclach in Baldur’s Gate 3, has some harsh words for video game executives pushing for the use of AI in game development.

What is the chief motivator for game companies to use AI, according to Béart? It’s money. Speaking to Edge magazine (via Games Radar), Béart states, “Essentially, [CEOs pushing AI] just want to save money. In the long term, it’ll destroy their reputation, their company, everything.”

Béart also mentions that they don’t see actors complying with publishers’ demands since that’ll mean they’ll be out of work, given that the AI voice lines they provide will replace them. It’s just not going to happen. Why would you do it? You’ve just signed your way out of any sort of job or career,” adds Béart.

Comparing executives who are after money to actors and other creatives, Béart sees it as oil and water, two things we know from science class does not mix well.

Béart laments, “We have an industry of highly artistic people who’ve had a calling to do this stuff, and then you’ve got these people with money, who don’t play games, who see it as an easy way to make a return on investment…those two things are oil and water.”

I can’t say I disagree with Béart’s sentiments. I mean, once an actor’s voice is recorded and spun through the AI machine, why would you need to hire the actor again? You can use their voice as many times as you like for a one-time fee. Indeed, anyone can see how this benefits no one except the corporate overlords who run studios. Now, if the voice actors get royalties every time their voice is used, and it’s structured in a way that could benefit both parties. That could be a way it works.

Unfortunately, AI use in games is ramping up and not slowing down. It’s gotten to the point that Steam now has a mandate that game companies need to disclose if they are using AI in their games. It’s not just voice actors that are targeted by AI; even marketing ads are using AI as well, and this benefits no one except the wallets of the people at the top.

In terms of the series, license holder Hasbro has commented that we should hear more about the franchise’s future soon.