Constantly developing artificial intelligence technologies now appear in every aspect of our lives. We can also use these technologies when creating videos, images and sounds that are difficult to tell whether they are real or fake. A statement from game giant CD Projekt RED today reveals that this kind of approach is taken in Cyberpunk 2077.
According to the statement, the developers created the voice of a character in the recently released DLC Phantom Liberty with artificial intelligence. However, what makes this situation interesting is not the use of artificial intelligence. The company used artificial intelligence to reuse the voice of a voice actor named Milogost Reczek, who previously played in the game but died in 2021.
The voice of Milogost Reczek, who played the character of Viktor Vektor, was imitated with artificial intelligence and used in the game, with the permission of his family.
Polish voice actor Milogost Reczek, who also appeared in The Witcher games, played the doctor character Viktor Vektor in the Polish dubbed version of Cyberpunk 2077. Reczek voiced this character in the original game, but he passed away in 2021 before he could reprise his role for the Phantom Liberty DLC.
CD Projekt RED also did not want to change Reczek’s voice because it was “perfect for the role” and turned to artificial intelligence. The gaming giant then contacted Reczek’s family and received permission to use the audio. He then turned to voice cloning technology provided by Kiev-based startup Respeecher.
Mikolaj Szwed, the localization manager of the game, stated that Reczek’s sons gave great support and helped them move the project forward. Szwed and his team worked with another artist named Janusz Zadura, who tried to imitate the voice actor’s speaking style. The lines recorded by this artist were also made similar to Reczek’s voice with the help of artificial intelligence.
This is not the first time we see the use of artificial intelligence in the entertainment industry. People who lost their lives in many movies and TV series have been brought back before. For example, Respeecher’s technology was used for the voice of young Luke Skywalker in the second season of the Star Wars series The Mandalorian. This is also how James Earl Jones’ iconic Darth Vader voice was created in the Obi-Wan Kenobi series.
Although this development is seen as a tribute to Reczek, it is also an indication that concerns about artificial intelligence are correct. Many artists were afraid that their voices or images might be used in the future and they would lose their jobs. There was even a strike in Hollywood that went on for months for this reason and caused many productions to stop. It is a matter of great curiosity what precautions will be taken in this regard.
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