Horizon Actor Ashly Burch Says Sony's AI Aloy Video Left Her Feeling 'Worried About Game Performance as an Art Form'

Ashly Burch, the voice behind Aloy in the Horizon series, recently addressed a leaked internal Sony video that showcased AI technology using the character Aloy. The video, which has since been removed, demonstrated AI-generated speech and facial animations in a conversation between Sony Interactive Entertainment's director of software engineering, Sharwin Raghoebardajal, and an AI version of Aloy. The AI Aloy responded with a robotic voice and stiff facial movements, clearly distinct from Burch's performance.

Burch took to TikTok to share her thoughts on the video, confirming that she had been informed by Horizon developer Guerrilla that the tech demo was not part of any active development and did not use her performance data. She expressed concerns about the future of game performance as an art form, using the incident to highlight the ongoing strike by video game voice actors.

The strike, led by SAG-AFTRA, focuses on securing protections against the unauthorized use of AI in replicating actors' performances. Burch emphasized the need for consent, fair compensation, and transparency in how AI is used. She voiced fears about the potential loss of legal recourse for actors if the strike's demands are not met, stressing the importance of protecting the future of the industry and the art form.

Burch clarified that her concerns were not directed at any specific company, including Guerrilla, but rather at the broader issue of lacking protections during the strike. She highlighted the availability of temporary union contracts that could provide the protections the actors are seeking, urging game companies to sign these agreements.

Generative AI remains a contentious topic in the gaming and entertainment industries, with many questioning its ethical and rights implications, as well as its ability to create engaging content. Despite the failure of Keywords Studios' AI-generated game, several companies, including Activision, continue to integrate AI into their development processes.

The voice actor strike has already impacted several games, with unvoiced NPCs appearing in titles like Destiny 2 and World of Warcraft, and recasting in games such as League of Legends and Call of Duty: Black Ops 6. Recently, voice actors from Zenless Zone Zero discovered their replacement through patch notes.

Asad Qizilbash from PlayStation Productions highlighted the importance of AI in gaming for personalization, particularly appealing to Gen Z and Gen Alpha gamers who seek more meaningful and personalized experiences.

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