By Michael Scott
Ben Prendergast claims that artificial intelligence will stay in the eerie valley. He has voiced Tyrin God of War Ragnarok and Fuse in Apex Legends.
In recent weeks, the generative AI threat has significantly impacted Hollywood. However, Ben Prendergast, a veteran voice actor, is confident that the technology’s talent replacement is yet to happen. He linked the strike by SAG-AFTRA and the Writer’s Guilt to generative artificial intelligence.
AI-Enhanced Voices Likened to 3D Movies
Prendergast has worked in TV, video games, and films. In gaming, he is famous for voicing Fuse, a pompous Australian gunman in Apex Legends, and the god Tyr in God of War Ragnarok. He is also popular in Hades from Supergiant Games, where he voiced Patroclus.
The actor compared AI-enhanced voices and actors to 3D movies’ intentions. According to him, this is a flawed innovation lacking long-term appeal because, despite being watchable, it failed to match humanity.
AI-Utilization Acting Set to Plunge Just as 3D Movies Segment Collapsed
Films with glass-founded three-dimensional effects became famous in 2009 with movies like Cameron’s ‘Avatar.’ However, by 2017, interest had dwindled since the feature was mostly considered a ploy. In 2021, there-dimensional movies comprised only 6 percent of the worldwide box office take, an indicator that they are rarely watched.
According to Prendergast, people are not likely to embrace artificial intelligence since the performance will not be accurate enough to create a robust human connection. In addition, the eerie valley effect will cause a distraction to viewers.
Apex Legends Actor Admits Possibility of Audience Resisting AI-Generated Products
Prendergast indicated that one reaches a specific point even with the finest technology globally. However, despite the information’s receiver, the audience, knowing it is artificial intelligence, is totally separated from relating to another human.
Prendergast’s concerns are similar to voice actors concerned about artificial intelligence models. For instance, there is the issue of failing to contact or compensate voice actors for the work used to train their learning models. Additionally, there is a lack of consent to use the technology to replicate actors’ voices for game-themed pornography.
Artificial Intelligence Unable to Contextualize Life in Acting
Different from artificial intelligence models, actors can inform their performance by considering their individual experiences. Prendergast revealed the primary inspiration to bring Fuse to Life. He claimed that as he did Fuse in the booth, he channeled his father, who was still with him and sounded like Fuse. It became close to him because he believed he was giving his father to the world.
Prendergast worked with the character’s lead writer, Sam Gill, to create Fuse. They fine-tuned voice lines and provided numerous varying interpretations of pitch and tone. He believes artificial intelligence cannot riff, alter, or attempt fresh takes. Specifically, he stated that this technology cannot write and produce in a manner that a human being can. He also revealed that his artistry plays a significant role in doing a line in ways that resonate most with the rest of the characters.
Artificial Intelligence Struggle to Replace Human Intuition
Examples of critical voice acting elements that Prendergast believes will not be replaced by artificial intelligence include vocal range, human intuition, and infinite variations in delivery. Despite the difficulty in predicting the future, he is confident that humans will be in a more favorable position than AI.
He concluded that his words might backfire. However, he stated it would be the reality if he were out of a job. He also admitted that he knows lore, story, and audiences’ reactions to actual actors, which producers fail to consider.
Prendergast dismissing AI coincides with a period when the entertainment sector is witnessing a longstanding strike by creators and artists. They dispute the use of their past work to train AI that would subsequently render them jobless.