The Simpsons Star Addresses A.I. Use in the Show’s Future

The Simpsons star Hank Azaria has voiced countless shows for the animated series for many decades, and has recently opened up about his complicated thoughts about the use of artificial intelligence in the series’ future. The Simpsons is showing no signs of slowing down as the animated series even prepares to return for the second half of Season 36 later this Spring, and it’s likely that the series will continue on for a lot longer. But as the years roll on and some actors leave the roles they have been a part of for the last few decades, there are other changes that could be on the horizon.

The Simpsons has never made even a hint that it would be potentially using artificial intelligence in the future, but its something that those behind the scenes are very aware of as the possibility is always there through advanced technology. As The Simpsons star Hank Azaria opened up in a special article with The New York Times, the star is having mixed feelings about the A.I. potentially being trained on all of his voices while knowing that it could be an inevitability. But for Azaria’s case, ultimately he believes that A.I. will never fully replicate what an actor can fully do.

Hank Azaria Addresses The Simpsons’ Possible A.I. Future

“I imagine that soon enough, artificial intelligence will be able to recreate the sounds of the more than 100 voices I created for characters on The Simpsons over almost four decades,” Azaria began. “It makes me sad to think about it. Not to mention, it seems just plain wrong to steal my likeness or sound — or anyone else’s.” In Azaria’s case, A.I. could be trained on not only all these years of Moe, but every character he’s done for the series thus far. But as Azaria thinks about this possibility, he’s concerned about the fact that there’s more that goes into these performances than just voices alone.

Another element is the improvising that goes into their roles, “Another thing we do on The Simpsons is improvise. When you play around with the dialogue, there are interruptions and a natural back-and-forth — you’re not just reciting a line-by-line thing. It’s hard to imagine a computer being able to mimic that rhythm.” But as for now, Azaria believes that fans will be able to tell the difference, “I honestly don’t know, but I think it will be enough, at least in the near term, that we’ll notice something is off, in the same way that we notice something’s amiss in a subpar film or TV show.”

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Will The Simpsons Ever Use Artificial Intelligence?

“An A.I.-generated voice has enough little things askew to make you think there’s something missing,” Azaria continued. “It just isn’t compelling or funny, in the same way that A.I.-generated faces in video seem to be missing elements that would make them believable and human-seeming — too often micro-expressions and gestures are not quite right.” Azaria then admitted that he’s also fearful for his future, “So, if I’m being honest, I am a little worried. This is my job. This is what I love to do, and I don’t want to have to stop doing it. The conventional wisdom in Hollywood is that the technology for making faces seem fully human is five years away. I fear that the voice equivalent is also coming.”

It’s a complicated fear, however, as Azaria believes that A.I. might even be able to do some things well with its technology, “If A.I. takes over, maybe there could be some upside. I miss dearly Mel Blanc’s old Bugs Bunny performances. We’ll never get them again. But maybe with A.I., we can have more of them.” Ultimately, Azaria (like many animation fans) believes that this technology won’t be a full replacement for what actors can do. It just won’t have the heart or soul seen in the series.

As The Simpsons continues with new episodes with no signs of ever coming to an actual end, there will come a time when the series will have to address its starring roles. Pamela Hayden announced her retirement from the series last year, and that was a shocking announcement considering how long each of the stars have been with it over the years. But it’s also a sign that these actors are getting to the point where they want to move on. It’s not like artificial intelligence is even an option for replacements, but Azaria’s fear is a very real one.

It might be a thing now, but it could be a possibility in the future. It’s something that’s quickly coming up as a real thing, and those who love animation need to keep a close eye on their favorites to be ready to see any A.I. that might come up.

HT – The New York Times