The Witcher's Geralt Actor Speaks Out on Dangers of AI

Over the last year, the use of AI in various industries has become a heated topic. The reality is, a lot of companies are looking to cut costs by replacing the work of real people with programs, whether it be artists or even actors. Since these programs are based on work created by real human beings, many have spoken out against its use. Voice actor Doug Cockle is the latest actor speaking about his concerns. Cockle plays the role of Geralt of Rivia in CD Projekt Red's The Witcher games. In an interview with IGN, Cockle talked about the unethical nature of AI. 

"AI is inevitable and developers will use AI. We are not 100% sure exactly what that means," Cockle told IGN. "They're already doing it in various ways, filling in background, NPC voices, and things like that, which is unfortunate because those voices were all human beings at one point, and the voices are all modelled on human beings. So they have taken someone's voice, put it into their database, digitized it and are using it to say things that the individual never said. There's something unethical about that and so there's a lot of debate going on."

The Effect of AI on Actors

AI played a big role in the 2023 Actors' Strike, with SAG-AFTRA vigorously opposing its use by studios. The use of AI is only going to become more controversial and complicated over the coming years across countless industries. Some companies are pursuing the rights to the voices of deceased actors and actresses, while others are pursuing living actors like Cockle to allow their voices to be replicated. Unfortunately, not all actors are given a choice, and Cockle claims that companies are ripping him off without compensation. 

"...I said no, and I still say no. But that's not because I don't like AI," Cockle told IGN. "It's because I think with voice actors, particularly with voice actors who do main character roles, it is a reality that people are ripping our voices off. That's happening. It's happened to me on multiple occasions. I can't even police it because I would spend all my time policing this stupid stuff."

The Future of AI in Video Games

While AI voiced video games might seem like a far off problem, we're already seeing it embraced by some studios. Earlier this year, The Finals generated controversy when it was revealed that the game uses a mix of actual voice work as well as AI voices generated by text-to-speech conversion. The game likely won't be the last, and it will be interesting to see what impact it has on the industry moving forward. One thing is certain: we probably won't see big names like Doug Cockle signing away their voice rights anytime soon. Readers interested in hearing Cockle's real Geralt voice in a new Witcher project can hear him in Netflix's Sirens of the Deep, coming next year. 

How do you feel about AI voice work in video games? Does this type of thing bother you? Share your thoughts with me directly on Twitter at @Marcdachamp or on Instagram at @Dachampgaming!