'Harrison Ford: 'Indiana Jones 5' Shows Stealing Souls Doesn't Need AI'

Harrison Ford, the iconic Indiana Jones actor, recently praised Troy Baker's performance as the titular character in the video game Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, stating that it demonstrates the unnecessary use of artificial intelligence for voice acting. Speaking with The Wall Street Journal Magazine, Ford expressed his satisfaction with Baker's portrayal, emphasizing that genuine talent and creative vision are sufficient to capture an actor's essence. He declared, "You don’t need artificial intelligence to steal my soul. You can already do it for nickels and dimes with good ideas and talent. He did a brilliant job, and it didn’t take AI to do it."

Released in December, The Great Circle offered a well-received, albeit non-canonical, addition to the Indiana Jones franchise, contrasting with the less-than-stellar reception of the latest film, Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny. This positive reception of the game might influence future franchise decisions, potentially shifting focus toward video game adaptations instead of further films starring Ford.

Ford joins a growing chorus of creatives voicing concerns about AI's role in filmmaking and other media. His stance echoes similar criticisms from prominent figures like Tim Burton, who described AI-generated art as "very disturbing," and Nicolas Cage, who deemed it a "dead end." The concerns extend to the voice acting community, with actors such as Ned Luke (Grand Theft Auto 5) and Doug Cockle (The Witcher) expressing apprehension about AI's potential to displace actors and negatively impact their livelihoods. While acknowledging AI's inevitability, they highlight the ethical and economic dangers of its misuse in voice cloning and similar applications.