EA Used AI to Simulate Broadcaster John Buccigross's Voice in NHL 27

Electronic Arts has employed generative AI technology to replicate the voice of ESPN personality John Buccigross for use in NHL 27. Buccigross, who provides commentary for the game, revealed that EA Sports utilized AI to simulate his voice in certain scenarios without prior disclosure.

Speaking on the Chirping Zebras podcast, Buccigross shared that he was presented with AI-generated lines, which he found to be "pretty good." However, he noted instances where the AI's output required human correction, citing an example where the AI incorrectly used the word "chairs" instead of "seats" when describing crowd reactions during a hockey game. Despite these occasional inaccuracies, Buccigross expressed a positive outlook on the AI integration, stating, "If it means less work and the same check, I'll take it."

This application of generative AI follows EA's previous use of similar technology in its College Football series, a move the developers claimed enhanced the game's quality. EA CEO Andrew Wilson has been a vocal proponent of AI in game development, believing it can expedite production and improve efficiency. Wilson indicated that a company-wide study revealed a "high feasibility" for generative AI to positively impact 60% of development processes. As an illustration of this efficiency gain, Wilson mentioned that stadium development, which once took six months, can now be completed in six weeks, with future projections aiming for six days.

Wilson articulated EA's overarching goal to leverage generative AI to boost development efficiency by 30%, enabling teams to "get to the fun faster" and accelerate game releases for a quicker path to "greatness."

These developments occur in the context of EA's recent acquisition by an investor consortium led by Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund (PIF). The substantial debt incurred from this deal has led to widespread speculation about potential cost-cutting measures, including layoffs, game cancellations, and studio closures, although no concrete restructuring plans have been officially announced.