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If you've played Bandai Namco's recently released Naruto x Boruto: Ultimate Ninja Storm Connections game, you might have noticed some inconsistencies in voice acting occasionally. In fact, some lines were so bad that players started suspecting AI's presence.
Some voice actors who recorded the lines fueled the accusations even more. In one of the scenes, Naruto's voice suddenly changes in the middle of a sentence, and voice actress Maile Flanagan commented that she didn't say it like that when it was recorded.
"I can guarantee I did not say that line that way," she claimed in a now-deleted post on X/Twitter (via IGN). "What’s that from? And I guarantee no voice director of Naruto or the games would have me do that in that way."
"Okay, this needs an explanation ASAP. I sent a couple of these clips to a friend. He ran the audio through an AI detection program and look at these results. First is Wake You Up, then power of gaaahhd.
"This was a union game. Generative AI use is supposed to be forbidden."
When voice actors can't remember saying some lines, it's a big red flag that solidifies people's suspicions. However, Bandai Namco has recently denied the accusations, stating that what you hear in the new Naruto game is the result of poor editing and the studio will fix it as soon as possible.
"Regarding the reports about several voice over lines in Naruto X Boruto: Ultimate Ninja Storm Connections, Bandai Namco Entertainment can confirm that the lines in question were not AI generated, but the result of inconsistencies during the editing and mastering process," the spokesperson told IGN.
"We regret that this raised a concern with Naruto fans and the voice acting community. We are currently working to fix the voice lines in question, which will be patched in the near future."
Unfortunately, using AI for voice acting has been relatively frequent practice. The general consensus among both actors and players is "don't do it," simple as that.
Do you think Bandai Namco went to AI to cover up some recording issues? Share your thoughts, find the company's statement here, and join our 80 Level Talent platform and our Telegram channel, follow us on Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn, where we share breakdowns, the latest news, awesome artworks, and more.
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