John Buccigross says EA is ‘using some AI stuff’ in NHL 27 development

Veteran sports commentator and ESPN personality John Buccigross has revealed that Electronic Arts utilized generative artificial intelligence to simulate his voice for in-game commentary in NHL 27. Speaking on an episode of the Chirping Zebras podcast, Buccigross discussed his participation in the professional hockey simulator and shared details about how the developer demonstrated the technology using his voice.

"They're using some AI now; they played me some stuff back of my voice," Buccigross said on the podcast. "It's like 'wow, that's pretty good!' If that means less work and the same check, I'll take it." The commentator also noted that the technology occasionally requires manual oversight. He shared an anecdote from the process where an AI-generated line incorrectly used the word "chairs" instead of "seats" when referring to the arena crowd, emphasizing that words matter and require human checking to refine.

The disclosure has brought fresh attention to EA's broader corporate strategy regarding artificial intelligence. EA CEO Andrew Wilson has previously expressed an enthusiastic outlook on generative AI, claiming that a significant portion of development processes could be impacted by the technology. Wilson has maintained that generative AI is central to the publisher's business model, aiming to streamline and accelerate production cycles across its portfolio of titles.

Reactions to the implementation of generative AI within the industry have varied widely. While corporate leadership highlights efficiency gains, developers and critics often express concern regarding the broader implications of automated tools. At the same time, commentators have questioned aspects of NHL 27's marketing and production values, noting that the integration of synthetic voice lines adds further complexity to ongoing discussions surrounding monetization, development practices, and the use of emerging technologies in major sports franchises.