Neil Newbon (Astarion) Condemns Use of AI: "Go Screw Yourself"

The controversy surrounding generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the gaming industry has gained a new and outspoken critic. Neil Newbon, a voice actor known for his work in Baldur’s Gate 3 (as the character Astarion), expressed strong opposition to the use of technology to replace actors: "AI can go to hell."

The statement comes in a year of increased recognition for voice actors, but one that has been marked by controversies involving the use of AI in titles like Arc Raiders and Black Ops 7, and even the cancellation of the new Postal days after the announcement, supposedly linked to AI issues.

Newbon argues that the economic justification of publishers does not hold up. "In comparison, the amount of money it costs to record these voices compared to the rest of the game production is minuscule." He insists that there is no reason to take away people's work, especially because, in cases of unexpected success, producers can turn to actors to record additional voices even after the release, indicating that the initial budget limitation is not a final impediment.

The actor classified the use of someone's voice for manipulation through AI as "stealing the actor's money for that day of work, and it is stealing the actor's ability to take care of themselves or their family, most actors are not rich." Although he recognizes the financial difficulties of producers, he considers generative AI a categorical "no," because, in addition to the ethical and employment issues, the final result harms the quality.

Newbon criticized the quality of AI, considering the generated voices "very boring" and elements that "break immersion," hindering the player's final experience. He reminded the public of the crucial role of actors in the greatest games of all time, questioning how these titles would be remembered if they had opted for robotic replacement. The stance is a direct appeal to companies to value human artistic contribution.