When Arc Raiders launched, Embark Studios was already navigating a contentious conversation around its use of AI-generated voice lines. Now, the studio's CEO has confirmed that some of those lines have since been replaced, and the reason is straightforward: human actors are simply better.
CEO Patrick Söderlund recently discussed how Arc Raiders was produced on roughly a quarter of the budget of a typical AAA title. Within that conversation, he addressed the studio's post-launch voice work directly.
What Söderlund said
"We re-recorded some of the lines post-launch and made them with real voices," Söderlund explained. "There is a quality difference. A real professional actor is better than AI; that's just how it is."
His comments mark a notable shift in tone from statements made before launch. Back in October, Embark Studios CCO Stefan Strandberg had defended the studio's AI usage, describing text-to-speech as a tool to "increase the scope of the game in some areas" and handle "tedious repetition" in situations where voice actors might not find the work valuable.
Söderlund's post-launch remarks add important nuance to that earlier position. The key here is that Embark never framed AI as a permanent replacement, and the CEO's latest comments reinforce that stance with action rather than just words.
How Embark uses AI in production
The studio's approach to AI voice generation functions primarily as a production and prototyping tool, not a cost-cutting shortcut for final content. Here's how Söderlund described the workflow:
- Actors are compensated for all booth time
- For select usage, actors are also paid to license their voices for text-to-speech, covering lines "not as essential to the immersion of the experience" such as ping system audio
- AI is used internally to test multiple line variations before committing to recording sessions
- The studio can "test 15 different lines without recording them" to determine what actually works before bringing actors in
"It's also a way for us to work, not replace actors," Söderlund said. "We don't necessarily believe in replacing humans with AI all the time."
Arc Raiders ping system UI
Why this matters for players
For anyone who has been following the AI voice debate in gaming, Embark's post-launch course correction is worth noting. The studio didn't double down or stay silent. It acknowledged a quality gap and acted on it.
What most players miss in these discussions is that the line between "AI as production tool" and "AI as final product" is where most of the friction lives. Embark's model, at least as Söderlund describes it, keeps AI in the prototyping lane while pushing human performances into the final build wherever immersion is on the line.
The studio is still updating Arc Raiders actively. The recent Shrouded Sky update added new enemies and weather systems, and Embark has been responding to player feedback across multiple fronts, including a separate Discord integration security issue that was patched after it was found to be storing users' private messages locally.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Did Arc Raiders use AI voice acting at launch?
Yes. Embark Studios used AI text-to-speech for certain voice lines, particularly for less immersion-critical audio such as the ping system. The studio's CCO described it as a tool to expand scope in areas where repetitive lines might not be seen as valuable work by voice actors.
Has Embark Studios replaced all AI voice lines in Arc Raiders?
Not all of them. CEO Patrick Söderlund confirmed that some lines were re-recorded with real actors post-launch, citing a clear quality difference. However, the studio still uses AI text-to-speech for select, non-essential audio with actor consent and compensation for voice licensing.
Do Arc Raiders voice actors get paid for AI-generated lines using their voices?
Yes. Actors are paid for all time in the recording booth, and for lines generated via text-to-speech using their voices, they receive additional compensation for licensing approval.
