Harrison Ford praises Troy Baker’s Indiana Jones: “it didn’t take AI to do it”

Harrison Ford has praised Troy Baker’s depiction of his iconic whip-toting archaeologist in Xbox’s recent release Indiana Jones and the Great Circle.

Ford was interviewed by the Wall Street Journal, and discussed the suggestion someone might use AI to replicate his likeness in the future. Notably, his last appearance in the Indiana Jones film series includes a digitalised de-aged likeness of himself, seen through flashbacks.

“You don’t need artificial intelligence to steal my soul. You can already do it for nickels and dimes with good ideas and talent,” said Ford, before referring to Baker’s performance as the iconic Indy. “He did a brilliant job, and it didn’t take AI to do it.”

Indeed, Ford isn’t concerned with AI. “My plan is to keep working behind that face till I don’t care what happens anymore. I’m selling that piece by piece while I’m alive,” he said. “I’ve been compensated. You don’t need to worry about me.”

AI has been a major talking point for video game actors, and a key hold-up in negotiations between actors’ union SAG-AFTRA and the video game industry as a strike continues.

Eurogamer spoke to celebrated video game actor Jennifer Hale about the strikes, with Hale describing AI as “an existential issue for all of us”.

“We need to be able to control when our voice is used,” she said. “I don’t want my voice used on a project that I would never support or that I didn’t say yes to. We need to be compensated for when our voice is used, because we are paid for our exposure as much as for our time.”

If anything, Baker’s performance as Indiana Jones proves AI isn’t necessary to replicate an iconic character – talent is enough.

Baker has been widely praised for his performance in the game, which begins with a recreation of the prologue from Raiders of the Lost Ark.

“Smart, fun and so very Indiana Jones, The Great Circle is a stealth action tour de force that marks a bold new era for MachineGames,” reads our five star review of Indiana Jones and the Great Circle. It went on to be Eurogamer’s Game of 2024.