Ashly Burch, the voice behind Aloy in the Horizon series, recently took to social media to address a leaked internal Sony video featuring an AI version of her character. The video, reported by The Verge, showcased Sony's AI technology in action, with Sony Interactive Entertainment's director of software engineering, Sharwin Raghoebardajal, engaging in a conversation with an AI-powered Aloy. Despite the realistic setting, the AI Aloy's voice was robotic, and her facial animations lacked the life and nuance of a human performance. Sony has not yet responded to IGN's request for comment on the matter.
In her TikTok video, Burch confirmed that she had seen the leaked video and that Horizon's developer, Guerrilla, assured her that the AI demonstration was not part of any ongoing project and did not utilize any of her performance data. Burch expressed concern over the implications of such technology for the art of game performance, using the incident to highlight the ongoing strike by video game voice actors.
The strike, led by the Screen Actors Guild - American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA), is fighting for consent, fair compensation, and transparency regarding the use of AI doubles. Burch emphasized her support for the strike, stating that the real issue is not the technology itself but the lack of protections for voice actors. She pointed out that temporary union contracts already offer the protections they seek, which are available for any game company to sign.
The use of generative AI in video games is a contentious topic, with recent examples including Activision's use in Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 and Keywords Studios' failed attempt to create an AI-generated game. The voice actor strike has already affected several games, with unvoiced NPCs appearing in titles like Destiny 2 and World of Warcraft, and voice recastings in League of Legends and Call of Duty: Black Ops 6. Additionally, voice actors for Zenless Zone Zero discovered their replacement through patch notes.
Asad Qizilbash from PlayStation Productions highlighted the importance of AI in video games for younger audiences, who crave personalization and meaningful experiences. This perspective underscores the ongoing debate about AI's role in gaming and its impact on the industry and its performers.
The Best PlayStation Character Face-Off
Pick a winner
New duel
1ST
2ND
3RDSee your ResultsFinish playing for your personal results or see the community’s!Continue playingSee results
