Troy Baker, one of gaming’s most recognizable voices, argues that generative AI could ultimately have a net positive impact on the performing arts. In a recent interview, the actor said AI could spark a broader movement toward authentic, human-made experiences and described the technology as a revolution, not a menace: We don’t need to demonise it. It’s a revolution.
Baker clarifies that his optimism rests on a distinction between creating content and creating art. AI, he contends, can generate material—perhaps more efficiently than humans in some cases—but it cannot substitute the human experience that defines true art. There’s a fundamental premise to making art that people are not remembering right now, and it’s that it requires artists. People go, “look what AI can do.” It’s like, “yeah, okay. I see what it’s capable of doing. It doesn’t matter.” And we don’t need to diminish it, we don’t need to denigrate it, we don’t need to demonise it. We need to just go, “okay, it’s there.” For the last 2,500 years since we first set foot out onto a stage, humans have been doing this. So maybe we trust that. Maybe we trust that this will be part of the process.
From a business perspective, Baker concedes that AI can be threatening: there is no doubt that AI can make content way better than humans. By far, it can crank it out no problem. But he counters that the same force could drive audiences toward the authentic, real-world experiences they crave—live performances, theatre, or first-hand reads—rather than a purely synthetic feed distanced from human nuance. What he sees as a paradox is, in his view, a robust opportunity: the birth of AI could push people toward authentic experiences and genuine artistry rather than eroding them.
The discussion around AI isn’t abstract for Baker. He has previously engaged with related tech in ways that drew attention and backlash. In 2022, he partnered with an NFT company marketing what it claimed were the world’s first voice NFTs—voices you’d own to create content with. The provocative marketing sparked controversy, and he stepped back from that specific project, underscoring the uneasy overlap between AI-driven voice tech and real performance. The idea itself, however, isn’t far removed from how studios and startups are training gen-AIs on actors’ voices today, a debate that continues to surface across the industry. ElevenLabs and similar initiatives are part of the broader conversation about who owns a voice and how it can be used.
Baker’s on-screen and voice work remains high-profile. He recently earned award nominations for Death Stranding 2 and Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, and his next projects include starring in Mouse: PI for Hire, a vintage Disney noir shooter, as well as Naughty Dog’s Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet. The convergence of AI-assisted performance and traditional acting sits at the heart of his stance: AI should be understood as a tool that can expand creative possibilities while audiences and artists continue to demand the human touch that defines storytelling. This position places Baker at the crossroads of a culture increasingly negotiating how AI shapes culture, art, and the lived experience of entertainment.