Embark defends AI voice lines in Arc Raiders audio video

Embark Studios has published a video on Arc Raiders audio design in which its staff defended the use of generative AI for voice lines and said the studio is not replacing actors. The video appeared on the game's own Arc Raiders channel on November 3, 2026.

In the video, Embark chief creative officer Stefan Strandberg said the studio is not in the industry of replacing actors. He added that the studio should celebrate performances and give actors more space.

Audio director Bence Pajor said recording every possible ping variable was too impractical, and that actors would go crazy reading all of it. According to the video, pings, quests and in-level mission briefings were generated using training data based on existing actors' recordings, a step described as a way to avoid scheduling stress with actors.

Voice actresses Jo Rideout and Diana Gardner appear in the video, discussing their characters' relationships and working within a hybrid recording-and-generation model. Gardner said the contract seemed fair and that short call-out sessions let her avoid cancelling other projects, but she questioned whether she could take ownership of the final product.

Arc Raiders drew heavy criticism for using generative AI to generate voice lines based on real voice actors' performances, both before and since its release. Embark CEO Patrick Söderlund previously stated that lines originally generated with AI were being replaced with actual recorded lines, and the studio's earlier game The Finals was heavily criticised for the same use of generative AI voice lines.