Troy Baker on AI: Don't Demonize It-But Don't Call It Art
Veteran actor Troy Baker believes AI will push audiences toward work that feels human. His stance is simple: AI can make content at speed, but art still requires an artist.
Speaking with The Game Business, Baker urged creatives to resist the urge to attack new tools. "We don't need to diminish it, denigrate it, or demonize it," he said. "It's there."
The core idea: art requires artists
Baker has carried some of gaming's most recognizable roles-Joel in The Last of Us, Higgs in Death Stranding, and Indiana Jones in The Great Circle. With that context, his point lands: "There's a fundamental premise to making art… it requires artists."
He acknowledges AI's speed and spectacle-"You want to see what it looked like to be at the Gettysburg Address? Sora can do that in minutes"-but draws a hard line: LLMs can create content, but they cannot create art because art depends on human experience, taste, and choice.
His prediction: as AI output floods the feed, audiences will crave the authentic-live music, theater, books, and firsthand experiences. He even calls the moment "a revolution."
What this means for working creatives
- Use AI as a production assistant, not a substitute. Offload drafts, concepts, references, or variations-keep human judgment in the loop.
- Build work that can't be faked easily: live readings, behind-the-scenes process, interactive performances, and community-driven projects.
- Make your taste visible. Share how you decide, edit, and discard. Taste is the moat.
- Protect your rights. Update contracts to address training data, voice/likeness, and synthetic versions of your work.
- Ship more experiments. Small, frequent releases help you spot what resonates beyond the algorithm.
- Prioritize voice. Consistency over time beats novelty generated in seconds.
Industry pulse
There's clear anxiety among "people in the business of content," and Baker gets it. Yet his view is pragmatic: AI will become part of the process, and the market will pull harder toward real human expression.
On a related note, Patrick Söderlund, CEO and founder of Embark Studios, stated the company isn't using AI to reduce investment in people-another signal that teams are looking for balance, not replacement.
Resources worth a look
- To understand the kind of generative video Baker referenced, see OpenAI's Sora overview: openai.com/sora.
- If you want structured practice with AI while keeping your voice intact, explore role-specific options here: Complete AI Training - Courses by Job.
Bottom line
AI will flood the zone with competent content. Your edge is the human layer-taste, context, and lived experience. Don't fight the tools. Use them, then make choices only you can make.
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