EA receives permission from commentator to generate EA FC 26 voice lines using AI

Legendary soccer commentator Guy Mowbray has revealed that he has given EA permission to use generative AI to create commentary based on his voice.

The details:

• Speaking with the BBC as part of a report on how commentary is recorded for EA FC, Mowbray revealed that recording voice lines for each yearly installment is a part of his routine "pretty much every week from November all the way through to the start of July." “We might have a couple of months where we are not doing anything on it before the next edition comes out, then it starts again,” he explained. "It takes so long because for every single facet of the game that you could think of, we have to cover every scenario. It is so in-depth because it has got to feel and sound real - the whole point of the game is its authenticity."
• The commentator shared that one of the longest and most monotonous parts of the recording process is reading out the name of every single player included in the game. EA FC features over 20,000 players across 35 men's and women’s soccer leagues, but names must be read out several times with variations in tone, and recording sessions typically last “over four or five hours.”
• EA has revealed that AI is now being used internally to help with the repetitive task, albeit with Mowbray's full permission. "AI has long been part of our development pipeline - from animation to gameplay systems - and continues to support our teams in making better, more responsive football experiences," EA said. "But when it comes to commentary and content, it's always a collaboration with our talent - not a replacement."
• Generative AI use has remained a controversial topic in the gaming industry, with companies such as Activision, EA, and Embark Studios publicly confirming that the tools have been used to create in-game content that was later included in the full release of games. Some fear that as AI improves, it may result in human jobs being replaced, while others argue that games will always require some human input to create.