Posted in: Fox, TV | Tagged: ai, hank azaria, the simpsons

The Simpsons Star Hank Azaria on AI Being a Threat to All Voice Actors

The Simpsons star Hank Azaria reminds audiences of the value of human voice actors in animation and what gets lost when AI is used.

Artificial intelligence has been a hot-button topic for several years, so much so that it was a sticking point when SAG-AFTRA and the WGA went on strike as major studios opted to find more ways to cut corners and deprive talent of work. As contracts were renegotiated to resolve both strikes in 2023, another SAG-AFTRA strike with the video game industry has been ongoing since July 2024. The Simpsons star Hank Azaria, who's been there since its premiere in 1989, has chimed in on the controversy in a New York Times op-ed about how studios like 20th Century could very well move on from his various voices as in his case, "A.I. could have access to 36 years of Moe, the permanently disgruntled bartender."

The Simpsons: "How Can The Computer Conjure All That?" – Hank Azaria

In the interactive article, fans can scroll through Azaria's recreation of his performances through the scene in The Simpsons and the actor in live-action. "I imagine that soon enough, artificial intelligence will be able to recreate the sounds of the more than 100 voices I created for characters on 'The Simpsons' over almost four decades. It makes me sad to think about it," he writes. "Not to mention, it seems just plain wrong to steal my likeness or sound — or anyone else's."

Azaria explains that Moe has been in almost every episode of The Simpsons. "He's been terrified, in love, hit in the head and, most often, in a state of bitter hatred. I've laughed as Moe in dozens of ways by now. I've probably sighed as Moe 100 times. In terms of training A.I., that's a lot to work with. But a voice is not just a sound. And I'd like to think that no matter how much an A.I. version of Moe or Snake or Chief Wiggum will sound like my voice, something will still be missing — the humanness. There's so much of who I am that goes into creating a voice. How can the computer conjure all that?"

As part of the experience, Azaria also personally demonstrates in the videos his characters, like Chief Wiggum and Superintendent Chalmers, and his own voice to go through various actions. For more, including on Azaria breaks down the nuance of voice performance, how non-voice actors acclimated to the booth, potential disadvantages AI may not perceive that a human actor would like improvisation, and some potential upsides like recreating the voice of Mel Blanc; you can check out the entire piece.

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