Embark has defended its use of generative AI for some voice lines in Arc Raiders, saying the technology helped the team manage recording schedules and the number of possible variations. In a video about the game’s audio design, audio director Bence Pajor said it would be impractical to record every version of certain lines, particularly those used by the ping system. “The actors would just go crazy if they had to read all of that,” he said.
Pajor also said actors may be busy with other projects when the studio needs new lines for features such as pings, quests and mission briefings. Embark used training data based on existing actors’ recordings to generate some of this dialogue.
Chief creative officer Stefan Strandberg said the studio is “not in the industry of replacing actors” and argued that performers should be celebrated and given more space. The video also features voice actresses Jo Rideout and Diana Gardner discussing their characters and the hybrid process of recording and generating performances.
Gardner said the contract seemed fair and that spending less time recording could leave her available for other work. However, she said she could not claim ownership of the final generated voice performance, despite the hours she had put into her work.
In a separate statement referenced in the report, CEO Patrick Söderlund said Embark has been replacing some lines that were originally generated with AI with newly recorded performances. The studio’s use of AI-generated voices has drawn criticism, including after its previous game, The Finals, used the technology in a similar way.
Sources: Rock Paper Shotgun.