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 of Aloy in the *Horizon* series, has addressed a leaked Sony video showcasing AI-powered Aloy. The video, which has since been removed, depicted an AI-generated Aloy with robotic speech and stiff animations, noticeably different from Burch's performance. While Guerrilla Games assured Burch the demo wasn't representative of current development and didn't use her performance data, the incident prompted her to highlight concerns surrounding the ongoing video game voice actors' strike.

Burch used the AI Aloy video as a platform to discuss the strike's key demands: consent for AI usage of actors' likenesses, fair compensation, and transparency regarding AI implementation. She expressed worry about the lack of recourse for actors if the strike fails to secure these protections, emphasizing the potential threat to the future of voice acting in video games.

She clarified that her concern isn't with the technology itself or companies' desire to utilize it, but rather with the absence of protective measures for actors in the current negotiations. Burch underscored her support for the strike, highlighting the availability of temporary union contracts offering the sought-after protections that game companies can sign immediately. She believes actors deserve these protections.

The use of generative AI in video games is a burgeoning trend, facing criticism due to ethical and rights concerns, as well as its current limitations in producing high-quality content. Keywords Studios' failed experiment with an entirely AI-generated game serves as a cautionary tale. Despite this, several companies, including Activision, have already incorporated generative AI into their development processes, leading to controversies and actor replacements in various titles like *Destiny 2*, *World of Warcraft*, *League of Legends*, and *Call of Duty: Black Ops 6*. Recent reports indicate that even *Zenless Zone Zero* voice actors were replaced without prior notification.

Asad Qizilbash, Head of PlayStation Productions and Head of Product at PlayStation Studios, recently argued that AI's use in video games is crucial for attracting younger Gen Z and Gen Alpha audiences seeking personalized experiences. He cited the potential for AI-driven NPCs to interact with players based on their actions, enhancing engagement.

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