CD Projekt SA, a Polish video game developer, is using artificial intelligence (AI) in the game Cyberpunk 2077 to recreate the voice a deceased actor.

The late Miłogost Reczek, a popular Polish voice actor who passed away in 2021, has had his voice reproduced by AI for the new Cyberpunk 2077 game.

The company have said it received permission from his family and had considered replacing him and rerecording his lines in the original games.

CD Projekt Localization Director Mikołaj Szwed said, “We didn’t like this approach.” They said he “was one of the best Polish voice talents” and his performance “was stellar.”

Instead, the company hired a different voice actor to perform the new lines, and used Respeecher, a Ukraine-based voice-cloning software, to create an algorithm to alter the dialogue to sound like Reczek.

“This way we could keep his performance in the game and pay tribute to his wonderful performance as Viktor Vektor.” Szwed said his sons “were very supportive.”

The rise of generative AI has raised ethical and practical questions about use in creative works. Film franchises including ‘Star Wars’ used this technology to replace dead actors like Carrie Fisher and Peter Cushing.

However, it has become a crucial point during the Hollywood writers and actors strikes.

Just last month, video game actors authorised a strike with gaming companies over multiple topics, one of which being the use of AI to recreate their work without seeking permission.

Union Leader Ray Rodriguez said, “The unregulated use of artificial intelligence poses an existential threat to anyone who makes their living using their voice, image or performance.”