"Sony's AI Aloy Video Raises Concerns for Game Art, Says Ashly Burch"

Horizon series actor Ashly Burch has recently spoken out about a leaked AI Aloy video from Sony, using the incident to highlight the concerns of striking voice actors. Last week, The Verge covered the leak of an internal Sony video featuring tech that showcased AI-powered characters using Aloy from the Horizon series. Sony has yet to comment on the matter when approached by IGN.

In the now-deleted video, Sony Interactive Entertainment's director of software engineering, Sharwin Raghoebardajal, engaged in a conversation with an AI version of Aloy. The interaction used voice prompts and AI-generated speech and facial animations. When asked about her well-being, AI Aloy responded with, "Hello, I'm managing alright. Just dealing with a sore throat. How have you been?" The voice, however, was not Burch's; it sounded robotic, akin to text-to-speech generators. Additionally, AI Aloy's facial movements were stiff, and her eyes lacked life during the exchange.

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Burch, who has lent her voice to Aloy across all four Horizon games (Zero Dawn, Forbidden West, Call of the Mountain, and Lego Horizon Adventures), took to TikTok to address the video. She confirmed that she had seen it and that Horizon developer Guerrilla had contacted her to clarify that the tech demo was not part of any active development and did not utilize any of her performance data. This clarification suggests that AI Aloy will not feature in the upcoming Horizon multiplayer game or Horizon 3. Nevertheless, Burch noted that Sony Interactive Entertainment owns 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 springboard to discuss the ongoing strike by video game voice actors, which has seen significant impacts in recent weeks. The Screen Actors Guild - American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) recently updated its members on the negotiations for AI protections, indicating progress but also a significant gap with the industry bargaining group on critical issues.

Burch emphasized the importance of consent, fair compensation, and transparency in the use of AI doubles. "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 stated. She expressed deep concern about the potential loss of protections for actors if the strike fails, highlighting the impact on the future of the industry and the art form.

Burch clarified that she was not targeting any specific game company, including Guerrilla, but stressed that the issue lies with the industry's refusal to provide reasonable protections during the strike. She affirmed her support for the strike, believing it essential to protect the future of their beloved profession.

She also pointed out the availability of temporary union contracts that already include the protections the striking voice actors are demanding, urging game companies to sign these agreements. "There’s the interim, the tiered, and low budget agreement contracts available right now for any game company to sign," Burch said, advocating for the protections they deserve.

@ashly.burch let us speak on AI aloy ♬ original sound - Ashly Burch

Generative AI remains a contentious topic in the video game and entertainment industries, which have faced significant layoffs. Ethical and rights issues, along with AI's challenges in creating engaging content, have drawn criticism from both players and creators. For example, Keywords Studios' attempt to develop an entirely AI-generated game failed, as they reported to investors that AI could not replace human talent.

Despite these challenges, several video game companies continue to explore generative AI. Activision recently disclosed using generative AI for some assets in Call of Duty: Black Ops 6, amid backlash over an AI-generated zombie Santa loading screen. The voice actor strike has already affected games like Destiny 2 and World of Warcraft, with some NPCs left unvoiced. Last year, SAG-AFTRA struck against League of Legends after Riot allegedly tried to circumvent the strike by canceling a game. Activision also confirmed recasting characters in Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 following player concerns about new voices. Just last week, two Zenless Zone Zero voice actors discovered their replacement through the game's latest patch notes.

Asad Qizilbash, head of PlayStation Productions and head of product at PlayStation Studios, recently commented on the importance of AI in video games, particularly for Gen Z and Gen Alpha gamers who seek personalization. "For instance, non-player characters in games could interact with players based on their actions, making it feel more personal," Qizilbash said. "This is important for the younger Gen Z and Gen Alpha audiences, who are the first generations that grew up digitally and are looking for personalization across everything, as well as looking for experiences to have more meaning."