What does the voiceover industry look like for 2025?
We can all agree that the 2020s have been a decade of instability. Global pandemics, political unrest, and the rise of AI are some of the things we’ve experienced. As we reach the halfway point, 2025 isn’t planning to improve the instability any.
AI technology continues to progress, and with a second Trump term on the horizon, many fear the industry will have even fewer regulations. If you’re an aspiring voice actor, you may wonder if there’s any room in the industry for you. With so much instability and chaos, we can’t tell you what the future will bring. What we will tell you is that there’s still room for your voice. Here’s why.
AI Will Get Better But Still Lack Creativity
2025 will bring AI technology that’s even better; there’s no denying that. It’s a technology that’s moving quite fast but will also reach hurdles.
Think about video games and their 3D graphics. If you’re not a gamer, look at some pictures of 3D games over the years. The jump from the very low-poly PS1 to the PS2 generation was immense, and so was the PS2 to the HD generation, the PS3. But every generation afterward only gets marginally better and still has that uncanny valley look to it. We see AI voices being the same. They sound realistic, but there’s just enough there to make you realize that it’s a robot. Emotions, improv, and general creativity will still be a hurdle for AI to overcome. It may do so in the future, but for now, you should not worry.
As such, we don’t see it being used much for projects where a creative voice is needed. Dry narration for content mill YouTube channels may be AI-driven. But any indie game or animation project will still need real voices, and this is where you come in.
The Old Guard is Still Around
For the time being, TV and radio commercials will still want authentic voices. Both are mediums that aren’t as big as they used to be and are often seen as something older adults use. But TV and radio are still widely used in businesses, so we don’t see this going anywhere. As such, your voice could be lent to commercials. Many of these companies still prefer to use real talent, not robots. One reason for this is that they’re trying to sell their customers something. They want someone who is passionate and sounds authentic.
Telephone Business Systems is a No-Go
Telephone business systems are a niche where you may not be able to get your voice in. We’re talking about those companies where, if you call them, they say, “Press one for…” and then list their services. To be fair, these businesses have used AI voices for over 20 years, even back when the voices were super robotic. It tells customers that they aren’t speaking to a person, and AI voices make it easier to add new options as needed. So we can see these businesses using AI technologies more, much to the frustrations of customers who will do anything to speak to a real person and not an AI in training.
This isn’t to say that all businesses will be like this. You may find a small, quirky business that takes pride in paying an authentic voice to add some creativity to its business system. But these are few and far between.
No AI is a Marketing Technique
AI voices and generative AI have many fans but also many critics. If you go anywhere on the Internet, you’ll find people who detest it and will continue to do so for a long time. Many pieces of media are starting to take pride in the “No AI” label.
One example is the horror film Heretic. In its credits, it states that “No generative AI was used.” Not only is the film generally getting highly positive reviews, but film lovers also love the message that, yes, movies will continue to be human-made.
We see this as a marketing technique that many will use, including animation, advertising, and other mediums that require voice acting. Just as “organic” is a label that attracts millions, so will “No AI.”
Voice Actors Will Continue to Fight
In the US, we see a lack of government regulation in the future. However, many workers are realizing, even before the outcome of this election, that if they want to do something right, they have to do it themselves. Labor has won many victories in the past few years as workers fight for more wages, better benefits, and more rights. This includes voice acting, with talents worldwide working in solidarity for better rights.
The battle will be long, but we envision a world where human talent and tech work together in harmony. That being said, the journey there will be difficult. Joining in on these voices may give voice performers everywhere better treatment.
The Rise of More Products Due to Escapism
There has never been a period where there’s been good news, but 2025 may bring news cycles that are depressing and have people wanting some kind of escapism. As such, we expect to see the creatives rise up in 2025 and the proceeding years. This may be a time when you lend your talents to all sorts of projects and become a big name in the industry. So get creative and create a character that will take people out of their lives, at least for a little while.
No One Knows, But That Shouldn’t Hold You Back
While we’re trying to give positivity to an uncertain future, we must stress that, well, the future is uncertain. No one truly knows what will happen in 2025 or the years following. But that shouldn’t let you hold back your dreams. The need for a human voice will always be real, no matter how fast technology progresses. In these trying times, we hope that this message helps you find some reassurance.
