Harrison Ford, the iconic Indiana Jones, lauded Troy Baker's performance as the famed adventurer in the video game Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, asserting that AI isn't necessary to capture an actor's essence.
In an interview with The Wall Street Journal Magazine, Ford expressed his satisfaction with Baker's portrayal, stating, "You don’t need artificial intelligence to steal my soul. You can already do it for a pittance with good ideas and talent. He did a brilliant job, and it didn’t take AI to do it."
Released in December, The Great Circle offers an "authentic," albeit potentially non-canonical, addition to the long-running franchise. This contrasts with the less-than-stellar reception of the latest Indiana Jones film, Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, released in 2023. This disparity in critical response might steer the franchise towards future projects leveraging talented voice actors like Baker, rather than relying on Ford's continued participation.
Ford joins a chorus of creatives voicing concerns about AI's role in filmmaking and media. Notable figures such as Tim Burton, who described AI-generated art as "very disturbing," and Nicolas Cage, who deemed it a "dead end," share similar sentiments. The concerns extend to voice actors, with Grand Theft Auto 5's Ned Luke and The Witcher's Doug Cockle expressing apprehension about AI's potential to displace actors and diminish their income. Cockle, while acknowledging AI's inevitability, highlighted its inherent dangers and the detrimental impact of AI-powered chatbots on voice actors' livelihoods.