Hank Azaria Fears AI Could Steal His Voice Acting Job

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Hank Azaria, known for voicing more than 100 characters on “The Simpsons”, is concerned that advanced technology (artificial intelligence) might imitate voice actors’ likenesses. In an opinion piece he wrote for the New York Times, Azaria expressed his concerns about AI potentially replacing human voice acting, which could lead to a loss of the art form’s human touch.

Azaria points out that the people we love as animated characters have always been humans bringing them to life. However, with artificial intelligence making its way into Hollywood, this dynamic might shift in the future.

Azaria has spent a significant amount of time acting, lending his voice to characters on The Simpsons for close to four decades. Over this period, he brought life to a variety of characters such as Chief Wiggum, Snake Jailbird, Cletus the Slack-Jawed Yokel, Professor Frink, Superintendent Chalmers, Comic Book Guy, the Sea Captain, Duffman, and numerous others. The wide range of character voices and expressions he regularly uses in the show aids in easier AI training.

While AI can mimic voices almost perfectly, one might question if it can truly imitate a performance in its entirety. This goes beyond individual tones, rhythms, and inflections; it encompasses the unique characteristics that distinguish voice actors like Azaria from myself. After all, AI is artificial, and it’s puzzling to consider how it could embody the human essence of a performance.

Making a scene feel genuine can be as straightforward as mimicking actions if your character is running or shedding tears if they’re crying. Many of my characters have engaged in physical altercations, like throwing punches or receiving them. It’s challenging to convincingly portray this unless you’ve actually experienced it yourself. We might even use props to help immerse ourselves in the scene. For instance, I once played a character who was constantly chewing on a cigar, so I used a highlighter as a prop while speaking.

In simpler terms, if being a voice actor merely involved speaking a great deal and reciting scripts, I would undoubtedly be unrivaled due to my talkative nature. Yet, as Azaria pointed out, there’s much more to it than just using your voice; the entire body and emotional investment play crucial roles too.

Azaria elaborated on the difficulty of imitating improvisation since it often adheres to an unstated beat. Moreover, he shared that a majority of his characters are derived from individuals he’s encountered and events he’s experienced. Intriguingly, the article details Azaria reminiscing about creating Agador’s voice, the shoeless butler character. He revealed that this voice was inspired by his own grandmother.

In simpler terms, Azaria mused, “It seems we’ll require someone who deeply comprehends what actions are necessary. While AI can produce sounds, it’s people who bring the performance to life. Can a computer truly grasp emotions without learning from humans? That’s more like science fiction, I believe, because for that level of understanding, the AI would essentially have to be conscious or alive.

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2025-02-08 00:32