Summary
- The voice acting industry faces the threat of AI replacement for iconic roles like those of long-time Simpsons actor Hank Azaria.
- Concerns have been raised about the potential loss of human touch and creativity in voice acting if AI replaces iconic voice talents.
- The animation industry is undergoing challenges as AI threatens to replace voice actors, impacting artistry and creativity.
One of The Simpsons’ most iconic vocal talents has come forward to table concerns that just a few years ago would have been unthinkable, highlighting an ongoing issue in the industry that still hasn’t been addressed to anyone’s satisfaction.
Like many animated shows, The Simpsons has achieved its remarkable success and longevity thanks in large part to the plethora of voice acting talent that has brought its iconic characters to life over the years, more so than even its animation. From celebrity cameos to one of Bryan Cranston’s best voice-acting performances, the show has long excited fans with unexpected and exciting vocal shocks. However, more impressive than those performances are the show’s core talents, many of whom play more than one role in the show. Few stars embody this more than Hank Azaria, who has been with the show for its entire four-decade run, voicing more characters in that one show than most voice actors do over a whole career (while still having many other projects to his name) and winning four Primetime Emmy Awards for his efforts.
Related
February 12th Will Be A Good Day For Simpsons Fans
The Simpsons is the show that keeps on giving, and longtime fans will get something special on February 12th.
Despite having a track record and career that reads like any aspiring voice actor’s favorite daytime fantasy, the venerable Mr. Azaria recently revealed in an opinion piece for The New York Times that he believes that he’ll be out of a job soon, despite The Simpsons showing no signs of ending just yet. While longtime fans of the show will likely laugh at the idea of anyone filling such massive shoes, the culprit here is one that Azaria has good reason to fear: AI. “I imagine that soon enough, artificial intelligence will be able to recreate the sounds of the more than 100 voices I created for characters on “The Simpsons” over almost four decades,” Azaria opines. “It makes me sad to think about it. Not to mention, it seems just plain wrong to steal my likeness or sound — or anyone else’s. In my case, A.I. could have access to 36 years of Moe, the permanently disgruntled bartender. He’s appeared in just about every episode of “The Simpsons.” He’s been terrified, in love, hit in the head and, most often, in a state of bitter hatred. I’ve laughed as Moe in dozens of ways by now. I’ve probably sighed as Moe 100 times. In terms of training A.I., that’s a lot to work with.” However, Azaria also worries that this replacement won’t be up to stuff, either.
I’d like to think that no matter how much an AI version of Moe or Snake or Chief Wiggum will sound like my voice, something will still be missing — the humanness. “There’s so much of who I am that goes into creating a voice. How can the computer conjure all that?
Azaria, who has brought so many unique characters to life on the show that many of them have organically died or retired from The Simpsons, also touched on how he believes this will affect quality in the short term. “What will the lack of humanness sound like? How big will the difference be? I honestly don’t know, but I think it will be enough, at least in the near term, that we’ll notice something is off, in the same way that we notice something’s amiss in a subpar film or TV show… It adds up to a sense that what we’re watching isn’t real, and you don’t need to pay attention to it,” he said in conclusion. “Believability is earned through craftsmanship, with good storytelling and good performances, good cinematography and good directing and a good script and good music.”
AI has been a major concern for people in the entertainment industry for a while now, with the use of AI in creative projects being one of the main issues tabled during the 2023 strikes, which saw even the biggest entertainment projects grind to a halt as a result. Despite leadership on both sides eventually coming to a consensus, the general attitude from actors, voice actors, and writers seems to indicate that many aren’t sufficiently happy with the protections agreed on for their work, if any. This is bad news for everyone involved, as Azaria is right to surmise that there’s more to voice acting than just the ‘voice’ aspect of it. AI might be improved upon enough to eventually flawlessly replace a beloved voice talent on a decades-old show, but it will never be capable of the sort of creativity and human touch that allowed Azaria to create so many iconic voices so naturally. Worse yet, the use of AI won’t incentivize other humans with similar talent to develop and apply it, as AI will simply use them as well.
When every creative talent, from iconic American voice actors to highly successful Shonen Mangaka from Japan, complains about the same things, it really should be a wake-up call for their various industries. While there isn’t too much fans can do here, the customer is always right in the end, and AI won’t save anyone any money or labor costs if no one’s buying.
The Simpsons is available to stream on Hulu and Disney+.
The Simpsons
- Release Date
-
December 17, 1989
More
Simpsons: Tapped Out Dev Answers Fan Questions
A developer who worked on The Simpsons: Tapped Out talks to fans of the recently discontinued game, answering some questions about its development.
Source: The New York Times