Our world is constantly changing....

especially with the recent explosion of ChatGPT, AI generated photo apps and websites, and AI filters on social media apps such as TikTok and Instagram. Many already fear that Artificial Intelligence will take over countless jobs such as data analysis... if they haven’t taken some already. But can artificial intelligence replace human voice talent?

Darth Vader (voice by James Earl Jones)

It has already begun.

Unfortunately, artificial intelligence is already being used to replace human voices. In Obi-Wan Kenobi, James Earl Jones’s dulcet tones were recreated with ReSpeecher and Darth Vader The actor can no longer replicate his iconic Darth Vader voice and so ReSpeecher was consulted. While it doesn’t compare to the real Jones, it is interesting to think about how these programs can perhaps revive past voices who are no longer with us.

However... AI also creates controversy.

For the current voice talents that are around, they are not big fans of artificial intelligence in the industry. Carolina Ravossa, who voices notable video game characters such as Sombra in Overwatch 2 and Raze in Valorant, has made her social media followers aware that she and several of her co-stars do NOT appreciate people using AI to replicate their voices in order to create content. Tom Hanks, along with other actors, have also spoken out about companies and people using AI to promote their products.

Tom Hank’s social media post warning his followers about AI posts

So why can’t AI replace human voices?

For starters, AI cannot fully capture the inconsistencies of human emotion. From the slight tremble of fear to the wavering of a crying voice, the unpredictability of human emotion makes human voices stand out. Additionally, people can adapt and quickly change their tone and delivery. AI cannot. You would have to reprogram them and what if there is a coding issue? It would cause plenty of delays. Finally, an interesting study showed that 78.3% of respondents believed they could easily differentiate between AI-generated and human voices. That is more than half of people who can tell the real difference!

So there you have it! What are your thoughts? Do you agree or disagree?