Halo Master Chief actor tells AI to keep its filthy paws off of his voice: "That's where we cross a line"

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Halo Master Chief actor tells AI to keep its filthy paws off of his voice: "That's where we cross a line" News By Jordan Gerblick published 23 January 2026

"That gets into an area that I am uncomfortable with"

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Steve Downes, the iconic voice behind Master Chief from the Halo franchise, has joined the chorus of high-profile voice actors speaking out against the use of AI in voice performances. However, his concern is very specifically related to the alarming prospect of developers using real voice recordings to make AI clones of those voices.

In a YouTube AMA going live today, Downes made it very clear that he does not approve of anyone using AI to replicate his voice. "That's where we cross a line that gets into an area that I am uncomfortable with," Downes said in a clip taken from the AMA and shared to his official YouTube channel.

"I'm not a proponent. I don't like it, and I would prefer that it not be done," Downes added.

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• Halo: Campaign Evolved leads call AI "a tool in a toolbox" comparable to others like Photoshop, but assure "the people are the ones who are creating the game"
• Divinity producer says using AI removes "the chance to support performers" such as Baldur's Gate 3 star Jennifer English

“That’s When We Cross a Line”: Master Chief on AI Using His Voice - YouTube Watch On

While he's clearly passionate about the issue of AI in voice acting, Downes struck a measured tone and clarified that he believes AI has "many, many positive effects on not only showbusiness but humanity in general" - but that it "can also be something that deprives the actor of his work.

"I'll go on the record with that," Downes said.

Yeah, all in all, not exactly a full-throated rebuke of generative AI in game development. Certainly not an endorsement either, but Downes limited his critiques of AI to its voice cloning abilities, whereas you've got actors like Neil Newbon, who played Astarion in Baldur's Gate 3, straight-up saying "fuck AI" and "there's no fucking way" AI could make anything like Baldur's Gate 3. Hating AI is a spectrum, I suppose is what I'm saying.

Downes, rather excitingly, is returning to voice Master Chief for Halo: Campaign Evolved, Halo Studios' ground-up remake of the 2001 FPS classic, Combat Evolved. Notably, one of the project's lead developers said last October that AI is "a tool in a toolbox" comparable to Photoshop, but assured "the people are the ones who are creating the game."

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Halo: Campaign Evolved is a faithful remake tasked with relaunching a legendary franchise: "We see this as a way to grow, expand, and reconnect the Halo community"

Jordan GerblickSocial Links Navigation

After earning an English degree from ASU, I worked as a corporate copy editor while freelancing for places like SFX Magazine, Screen Rant, Game Revolution, and MMORPG on the side. I got my big break here in 2019 with a freelance news gig, and I was hired on as GamesRadar's west coast Staff Writer in 2021. That means I'm responsible for managing the site's western regional executive branch, AKA my home office, and writing about whatever horror game I'm too afraid to finish.

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Logout Read more Baldur's Gate 3 actor Neil Newbon says AI voices "sound crap" and studios should pay actors to re-record those lines    Halo: Campaign Evolved leads call AI "a tool in a toolbox" comparable to others like Photoshop, but assure "the people are the ones who are creating the game"    Divinity producer says using AI removes "the chance to support performers" such as Baldur's Gate 3 star Jennifer English    Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 actor is "optimistic" about "opportunities" in generative AI acting: "My hope is that that power will come to the creator"    Epic Games and Fortnite's billionaire boss Tim Sweeney plays devil's advocate in the Arc Raiders AI debate, argues the tech could create "an even bigger opportunity" for actors    Baldur's Gate 3 Astarion actor says "there's no f*cking way AI could make" anything like the hit RPG: "It's too human"    Latest in Halo Halo: Campaign Evolved is coming to PS5 because the FPS is "best played when we have a large, healthy community"    Halo: Campaign Evolved is a faithful remake tasked with relaunching a legendary franchise for a new generation of players    Halo: Reach devs "had to fight tooth and nail to keep space combat" after Bungie wanted to cut it    Halo's Cortana actor says the direction Bungie gave her for the FPS was to sound like "the girl next door" that you "wanted to hang out with, but you're not in love with"    After Apple originally announced the first version of Halo in 1999, Xbox apparently called Bungie and said "'Steve Jobs can't have that. We're going to buy you.'"    Halo co-creator Marcus Lehto redesigned Master Chief 9 times before perfecting the Xbox mascot: "It took forever, but I wasn't going to stop"    Latest in News Halo Master Chief actor tells AI to keep its filthy paws off of his voice: "That's where we cross a line"    Forza Horizon 6 is going full anime with Initial D-inspired Touge Battle mode and a full-sized Gundam    Minecraft creative lead plays Hytale and decides "I'd rather just play Minecraft," Hytale dev says he's "probably right"    Forza Horizon 6 adds Assassin's Creed Shadows-style base where you can build anything, if you fund it with tofu delivery    Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 dev had to "change the rules of the game" because it couldn't compete with giga budget RPGs    Fable head says "we can't try to make a Lionhead game" and that the RPG reboot isn't fantasy – it's fairytale    GAME REVIEWSMOVIE REVIEWSTV REVIEWS

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