A football commentator has granted EA permission to utilize an AI-generated version of his voice for the game EA Sports FC

Guy Mowbray, a football (soccer) commentator, has allowed Electronic Arts to use artificial intelligence to mimic his voice for generating player names in their games.

In an interview with the BBC, Mowbray elaborated on the process behind his commentary work for EA's football series, stating that he typically records each player's name in approximately five different ways to suit various in-game contexts and actions.

Given his continuous work schedule on commentary from November to early July, Mowbray has agreed to let EA use AI to replicate his voice. This approach aids in handling the vast array of over 20,000 player names featured in the FC roster.

Electronic Arts shared with the BBC that "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."

The company emphasized that collaboration with their voice talent remains crucial, stating it is not a replacement for their involvement.

Mowbray remarked, "It constantly needs updating - with new names for all the new players, plus new terminology and new features in the game," highlighting the dynamic nature of this work.

Producing authentic commentary requires covering every possible scenario within the game, he added, due to the depth needed to ensure it feels genuine.

While Mowbray is accommodating, not all voice actors share this sentiment. In September last year, Françoise Cadol, known as the French voice of Lara Croft, filed a legal notice against Aspyr, charging them with unauthorized AI usage of her voice in Tomb Raider 4-6 Remastered, as detailed here. Additionally, in a related issue, the French voice cast of Apex Legends objected to contracts that would allow AI training on their voices, as seen here.