Krux
April 3, 2026
Game Studio Krafton Open-Sources Real-Time Voice AI Models
Published: April 3, 2026 at 12:38 AM
Updated: April 3, 2026 at 12:38 AM
100-word summary
Krafton, the studio behind PUBG, just released four open-source AI models designed for interactive gaming. The standout is Raon-SpeechChat-9B, which handles full-duplex voice conversations—meaning NPCs can listen and respond in real time, just like a phone call. No more awkward turn-taking. The lineup includes text-to-speech, speech-to-text, and a vision encoder so characters can see what's happening on screen. Three of the four models carry non-commercial licenses, but researchers get full access to training data and technical papers. Translation: your next Skyrim companion might actually interrupt you mid-sentence, and modders finally have the toolkit to build it.
What happened
Krafton, the studio behind PUBG, just released four open-source AI models designed for interactive gaming. The standout is Raon-SpeechChat-9B, which handles full-duplex voice conversations—meaning NPCs can listen and respond in real time, just like a phone call. No more awkward turn-taking. The lineup includes text-to-speech, speech-to-text, and a vision encoder so characters can see what's happening on screen. Three of the four models carry non-commercial licenses, but researchers get full access to training data and technical papers.
Why it matters
Translation: your next Skyrim companion might actually interrupt you mid-sentence, and modders finally have the toolkit to build it.