Prolific video game voice actor Troy Baker has expressed a positive view on the generative AI revolution, arguing it will drive people toward authentic human-created experiences rather than AI-generated content. In a recent interview, Baker emphasized that while AI excels at producing content, true art requires the human touch. He believes this shift could ultimately benefit artists in the long run.
Troy Baker, renowned for his voice work in numerous video games, shared his thoughts on generative AI during an interview with The Game Business, published on January 6, 2026. Baker acknowledged AI's capabilities, stating, "AI can make content way better than humans" and can "crank it out no problem." However, he drew a clear distinction between content and art, asserting, "AI can create content but it cannot create art," because art "invariably requires the human experience."
Baker urged a balanced perspective, saying, "We don't need to diminish it, we don't need to denigrate it, we don't need to demonize it. We need to just go, 'okay, it's there.'" He views AI as a potential catalyst for valuing authenticity, predicting it will encourage audiences to seek live performances, theater, books, and firsthand experiences over what he called "the gruel that gets distilled to me through a black mirror." This, he believes, marks a "revolution" that is ultimately "a good thing."
From a business standpoint, Baker recognizes AI as threatening, particularly amid ongoing debates in the gaming industry. The SAG-AFTRA video game actors' strike, which concluded last year, centered on protections against AI use. Developers like Embark Studios have employed AI for NPC voices in their 2025 extraction shooter Arc Raiders. High-profile actors such as Matthew McConaughey and Michael Caine have licensed their voices for AI applications, while an AI version of James Earl Jones's voice appeared in Fortnite in 2025, shortly after his death in 2024, sparking controversy when players manipulated it.
Baker, a SAG-AFTRA member, recently earned praise for voicing Indiana Jones in MachineGames' Indiana Jones and the Great Circle. Harrison Ford commended his performance, noting, "[Baker] did a brilliant job, and it didn't take AI to do it." Baker's career also includes nominations for roles in Death Stranding 2 (2025) and upcoming projects like Mouse: PI for Hire (2026) and Naughty Dog's Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet. In 2022, he faced backlash for partnering with an NFT company on voice NFTs, highlighting his history with emerging technologies.
