Arc Raiders Replaces Some AI-Generated Voices With Real Actors Post-Launch, Embark CEO Admits "Professional Actor Is Better"

Arc Raiders has become a standout title that many studios can only dream of. The extraction shooter has proven its worth among players and streamers alike. However, Embark Studios has embraced one darker side of the industry that many players are less enthusiastic about: generative AI.

In a new interview with GamesIndustry.biz, Embark Studios CEO Patrick Söderlund revealed that the studio has begun phasing out many of the AI-generated voice-overs in Arc Raiders.

“We re-recorded some of the lines post-launch and replaced them with real voices… There is a quality difference,” Söderlund said. “A real professional actor is better than AI; that’s just how it is.”

Although real actors are now replacing some of the AI-generated voice lines currently in Arc Raiders, Söderlund reaffirmed his stance on the use of AI, stating that it is not leaving the studio anytime soon.

“We look at [AI] first and foremost as a production tool,” he said. “We can test things internally. We can test 15 different lines without recording them, and then we know what to record. It’s also a way for us to work, not replace actors. We don’t necessarily believe in replacing humans with AI all the time.”

AI has become what seems like a necessity for Embark Studios, as well as for many other teams in the industry. While some developers draw a clear line regarding the use of AI, how does this affect the player? Most players likely didn’t even realize AI was used in Arc Raiders. Are we reaching a point where the difference between AI and real actors is becoming too difficult to distinguish? Let us know what you think about Embark Studios’ use of AI in the comments below.