EA Sports FC Commentator Uses AI to Escape Thousands of Recording Hours

Key Takeaways

Created with AI - we're still experimenting, so apologies if it misses the mark

Artificial Intelligence is being utilized in game development, specifically in the football simulation game EA Sports FC, to assist with voiceovers for player names and repetitive phrases.
Human commentators remain crucial for capturing nuances, emotional range, and dynamic reactions to gameplay, as these elements cannot be replicated by AI.
The collaboration between AI and human commentators aims to optimize the development process, allowing commentators to focus on creating immersion and authenticity in matches.
Both Guy Mowbray and Sue Smith have emphasized the demanding nature of their roles, with recording sessions lasting from November to July and requiring extra vocal care. Additionally, Mowbray has lent his AI voice to EA for additional lines, expanding the AIs capabilities beyond its initial scope.

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Artificial intelligence is increasingly assisting human roles in game development, as illustrated by Guy Mowbray’s experience with EA Sports FC. Mowbray, the official voice of EA Sports FC, has confirmed that AI generative tools now assist in providing voiceovers for the football simulation game. In a recent BBC interview, Mowbray explained that the game’s scale had made the voiceover workload unsustainable for a single person without technological assistance. The primary challenge lies in the player database, which includes over 20,000 athletes. Traditionally, recording commentary for the series (formerly FIFA) occupied Mowbray weekly from November to July. The repetitive task of recording each name with varying intonations (neutral, ball possession, shot) proved especially taxing. To address this, Mowbray granted Electronic Arts permission to train an AI using his voice, which now handles repetitive phrases and player names.

AI and Human Collaboration Enhance EA Sports FC Commentary for Authenticity and Immersive Gameplay

However, Mowbray emphasizes that the AI serves as a tool, not a replacement. Human commentators remain essential for capturing the nuances and emotional range of live commentary. For example, lines requiring context, emotion, or dynamic reactions to gameplay still require in-person recording. “For a promising attack, I need ten different ways to describe it with my style,” Mowbray said. “This can’t be done by a machine because it must sound like something I would actually say.” EA has echoed this sentiment, describing the AI as a collaborative effort with talent to optimize the development process. This allows commentators to focus on where they contribute the most value: creating immersion and authenticity in matches. Sue Smith, another commentator who has been with EA Sports FC since FC 24, also highlighted the demands of the role. The BBC excerpt revealed that recording sessions can stretch from November to July, requiring extra vocal care. Furthermore, Guy Mowbray lends his AI voice to EA for extra lines, expanding its capabilities beyond the initial scope.

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