Witcher voice actor wants to sue AI platforms using his voice 'into the ground'

Witcher actor Doug Cockle says he would take legal action against AI platforms replicating his voice if possible

Doug Cockle, the voice actor behind Geralt of Rivia in The Witcher games, has criticised AI platforms for replicating his voice and said he would pursue legal action against companies using it without his involvement.

Speaking to Polygon, Cockle described AI recreations of his voice as “the bugbear of my life” and said he would take action against platforms if he had the necessary resources.

“If I had the power, the money, and the influence, I would sue every single AI platform out there with my voice on it,” Cockle said. “I would sue them into the ground.”

Cockle has voiced Geralt throughout CD Projekt Red’s The Witcher games, making his performance closely associated with the character.

However, advances in generative AI have made it possible to recreate voices and produce dialogue without the original actor recording it.

The actor said his concerns extend beyond the potential financial impact of unauthorised voice replication. He is particularly concerned about AI-generated material making Geralt appear to express views that neither he nor the developers intended.

“More than money or anything else is that they could make Geralt say horrible things,” he said. “They could make Geralt a racist. They could make him a misogynist. They could make him have political views that are absolutely horrific.”

Cockle said audiences could potentially hear an AI-generated version of Geralt without immediately knowing that the performance was not created by him or CD Projekt Red.

He also stressed the human work involved in video game voice acting and argued that performers should not be treated simply as sources for digital voice replicas.

“I’m being a little bit passionate about this, but it is the bugbear of my life at the moment,” Cockle said. “There are people behind these voices. They’re not just digital imprints.”

Cockle is expected to return as Geralt in The Witcher 4, although the game does not currently have a confirmed release date.