NBC is bringing back Jim Fagan (the iconic voice of NBA on NBC). Literally. With the blessing of his family, NBC Sports will use an AI-generated version of Fagan’s voice to narrate promos and title sequences when the network resumes NBA coverage this fall.
Fagan passed away in 2017. His unmistakable delivery defined an era of NBA greatness from 1990 to 2002. NBC’s goal is clear: tap into nostalgia, evoke emotion, and remind viewers of a time when the league felt larger than life.
Technically impressive. Emotionally resonant. But somehow… strange.
This isn’t the first time NBC has used AI to generate voiceovers. During the Paris Olympics, they offered personalized highlight recaps narrated by an AI clone of Al Michaels (with his full participation).
Synthetic media is here to stay. We’ll see more of this. It will get better, more convincing, and more normalized, which makes now a good time to ask: Is this cool or creepy?
Author’s note: This is not a sponsored post. I am the author of this article and it expresses my own opinions. I am not, nor is my company, receiving compensation for it. This work was created with the assistance of various generative AI models.