Horizon actor Ashly Burch recently addressed a leaked AI Aloy video that surfaced online, using it as an opportunity to shed light on the ongoing demands of striking voice actors. The video, first reported by The Verge, showcased Sony's internal technology featuring an AI-generated version of Aloy from the Horizon series. Sony has yet to respond to IGN’s request for comment regarding the matter.
In the now-deleted video, Sharwin Raghoebardajal, Sony Interactive Entertainment's director of software engineering, engages in a conversation with an AI-powered Aloy. The interaction involves voice prompts and AI-generated speech, with Aloy responding to Raghoebardajal's inquiry about her well-being with, "Hello, I'm managing alright. Just dealing with a sore throat. How have you been?" The voice of AI Aloy, however, was distinctly robotic and lacked the warmth of Burch's original performance. The AI's facial animations were also noted for their stiffness and lack of life.
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Burch, who has lent her voice to Aloy across all four Horizon games including Zero Dawn, Forbidden West, Call of the Mountain, and Lego Horizon Adventures, took to TikTok to discuss the video. She confirmed that she had been informed by Horizon developer Guerrilla that the tech demo was not indicative of any active development and did not utilize any of her performance data. This clarification likely eliminates the use of AI Aloy in the upcoming Horizon multiplayer game and the anticipated Horizon 3. Burch acknowledged, however, that Guerrilla and Sony Interactive Entertainment own the character of Aloy.
Expressing her concerns, Burch stated that the AI Aloy video made her "worried about game performance as an art form." She used this as a platform to discuss the ongoing video game voice actors strike, which has seen significant developments. Last week, the Screen Actors Guild - American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) reported some progress in negotiations over AI protections for video game actors, but noted that they remain "frustratingly far apart" from the industry bargaining group on key issues.
Burch emphasized the demands of the striking voice actors, stating, "Currently what we’re fighting for is, you have to get our consent before you make an AI version of us in any form, you have to compensate us fairly, and you have to tell us how you’re using this AI double." She expressed her fear that without these protections, actors could lose control over their performances, impacting the future of game acting and the industry as a whole.
Burch made it clear that she wasn't targeting any specific company, including Guerrilla, and that the technology itself isn't the issue. Her concern lies with the bargaining group's refusal to agree to "common sense protections" during the strike. She affirmed her support for the strike, highlighting the importance of fighting to protect the future of the career that many love.
Burch also pointed out that temporary union contracts currently offer the protections that the striking voice actors are seeking, which are available for any video game company to sign immediately. She believes that these protections are essential for the industry.
@ashly.burch let us speak on AI aloy
♬ original sound - Ashly Burch
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Generative AI remains a contentious topic within the video game and entertainment industries, particularly amidst widespread layoffs. Ethical and rights concerns, as well as AI's difficulty in creating engaging content, have sparked criticism. Keywords Studios, for instance, attempted to develop an experimental AI-generated game, which ultimately failed as AI could not replace human talent.
Despite this, several video game companies continue to explore generative AI. Activision recently revealed using AI for some assets in Call of Duty: Black Ops 6, amidst controversy over an AI-generated zombie Santa loading screen. The voice actor strike has also affected games such as Destiny 2 and World of Warcraft, with unvoiced NPCs appearing in otherwise voiced scenes. Last year, SAG-AFTRA initiated a strike against League of Legends after Riot allegedly attempted to circumvent it by canceling a game. Additionally, Activision confirmed recasting characters in Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 following player concerns about new voices. Recently, two voice actors from Zenless Zone Zero discovered their replacement via patch notes.
Asad Qizilbash, head of PlayStation Productions and product at PlayStation Studios, emphasized the importance of AI in video games, particularly for Gen Z and Gen Alpha gamers who value personalization and meaningful experiences. He suggested that AI could enable non-player characters to interact more personally with players, aligning with the preferences of these younger audiences.
