Ashly Burch Concerned Over Sony's AI-Generated Aloy Video

Horizon series actress Ashly Burch has spoken out about the leaked AI Aloy demonstration, leveraging the situation to highlight critical issues in the ongoing voice actors' strike. The controversy emerged after Sony's internal tech demo featuring an AI-generated version of Aloy surfaced online.

The AI Aloy Controversy

Last week's leaked footage showed Sony Interactive Entertainment's engineering director engaging with an artificial Aloy using voice prompts and AI-generated animations. The synthetic character's stiff movements and robotic voice - distinctly different from Burch's iconic performance - sparked immediate backlash across gaming communities.

Through her TikTok platform, Burch confirmed Guerrilla Games had contacted her to clarify this was merely an experimental demo. The studio emphasized they hadn't used any of Burch's performance data and confirmed no active development plans involving AI Aloy. However, as Burch pointedly noted, Sony ultimately controls the Horizon intellectual property - including future decisions about Aloy's portrayal.

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Burch expressed deep concern about the implications of such technology, particularly during an active labor dispute. "What keeps me up at night isn't the technology itself," she shared. "It's the thought of performers having no protections when their digital likeness gets used without consent or compensation."

The Heart of the Strike

The Screen Actors Guild's negotiations with game companies have reached a critical juncture. While some progress has been made, fundamental disagreements remain regarding AI protections. Burch outlined three non-negotiable demands:

• Mandatory consent for any AI replication
• Fair compensation for digital likeness usage
• Transparency about how AI replicas will be implemented

The veteran voice actress emphasized this isn't an anti-technology stance, but rather a fight for basic professional safeguards. "We have temporary contracts ready for signature today that address these exact concerns," Burch noted. "This is about preserving opportunities for future generations of performers."

The Broader Industry Impact

The controversy occurs amidst massive tech layoffs and growing AI implementation across entertainment. While some studios like Keywords Studios have publicly acknowledged AI's creative limitations after failed experiments, others continue investing heavily in the technology.

The strike's effects are becoming increasingly visible in major titles. Players report missing voice lines in Destiny 2 and World of Warcraft, while high-profile recasts have occurred in Call of Duty: Black Ops 6. Most recently, two Zenless Zone Zero actors discovered they'd been replaced through patch notes.

PlayStation executive Asad Qizilbash recently defended AI integration, arguing it aligns with younger generations' expectations for personalized experiences. However, as Burch's response demonstrates, these technological aspirations must be balanced with ethical considerations and performer rights.