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Ashly Burch Voices Concerns Over AI's Impact on Game Art

by Gabriella May 03,2025

Ashly Burch, the voice behind Aloy in the Horizon series, has publicly responded to a leaked Sony video featuring an AI version of her character. The video, which was briefly available online, showcased Sony Interactive Entertainment's director of software engineering, Sharwin Raghoebardajal, engaging in a conversation with an AI-powered Aloy. In the clip, Aloy, voiced by a robotic text-to-speech generator rather than Burch, discusses having a sore throat in response to a question about her well-being. The AI's facial animations appeared stiff and lacked the lifelike quality fans have come to expect from the Horizon series.

Burch addressed the video on TikTok, confirming that she had seen it and that Horizon developer Guerrilla had reached out to her. They assured her that the AI demo was not indicative of any current or future projects, including the anticipated Horizon multiplayer game and Horizon 3. However, Burch highlighted that Sony, as the owner of the Aloy character, could potentially use such technology in future developments.

Expressing her concerns, Burch used the incident to shed light on the ongoing video game voice actors' strike. She emphasized the importance of consent, fair compensation, and transparency regarding the use of AI in replicating actors' performances. Burch voiced her fears that without proper protections, actors could lose control over their own likenesses and performances, which could jeopardize the future of game acting as an art form.

The strike, led by SAG-AFTRA, has made some progress but remains far from resolution on key issues. Burch supports the strike wholeheartedly, urging game companies to sign existing temporary union contracts that offer the protections voice actors are demanding. She stressed the significance of fighting for the future and longevity of their beloved careers.

The broader context of generative AI in the gaming and entertainment industries has sparked debate over ethical and rights issues. Despite some failures, such as Keywords Studios' AI-generated game, companies like Activision have continued to incorporate AI into their projects, like Call of Duty: Black Ops 6. The voice actor strike has already affected games like Destiny 2 and World of Warcraft, with unvoiced NPCs appearing in scenes that typically feature dialogue. Other games, including League of Legends and Zenless Zone Zero, have faced similar challenges due to the strike.

Asad Qizilbash from PlayStation Studios emphasized the importance of AI in meeting the demands of younger gamers for personalized experiences, suggesting that non-player characters could interact more dynamically with players based on their actions.