EA may allow players to voice characters in their games thanks to AI

EA have issued a patent for an AI program that would allow players to put their own voices into the game.

Developers of popular video games like Madden, Battlefield, and Jedi Survivor are experimenting with AI-powered voice manipulation tools that allow players to voice their characters, according to reports from VeryAi Gaming.

AI has changed how consumers view media based on its ability to generate text, images, and music with minimal effort. Despite the new concept, EA is far from being the first in the gaming industry to explore bringing AI into video games. 

Microsoft recently announced a partnership between Xbox and AI generation service Inworld to bring AI-generated characters, stories, and quests to games on the platform. EA is going one step further by integrating AI to allow players to encompass their character fully. 

EA looks to turn players into voice actors using AI

The patent application released on October 17 describes an AI-powered program enabling players to utilize their voices within the game. These plans are shown through schematic images to detail the rough concept around the idea. 

The first image on the patent breaks down the simplified concept of using AI to convert voices. It shows taking speech content data and putting it through a synthesizer before taking the input from the player to transfer it into the game itself

Generating Speech in the Voice of a Player of a Video Game, Electronic Arts Inc

“The gaming application provides a speech content input module for use by user of computing device. The speech content input is configured to enable the player of the video game to input data (e.g. text, and/or tags for paralinguistic utterances) for use in speech synthesis in their voice.” 

Generating Speech in the Voice of a Player of a Video Game, Electronic Arts Inc. pg. 16

Further information in the patent description talks about players being given examples of speech audios and scripts. Similar to what it would be if the studio had hired a voice actor. 

EA has not made any official statements regarding using AI voices in its titles outside of the patent.