The Horizon series from Guerrilla Games has warned people about the dangers of AI, and it looks like something is cooking behind the scenes that uses AI on the series' lead character, Aloy.
The video leak has since been removed from online platforms, but star Ashly Burch has something to say about Sony using AI to bring a character that Burch plays to life without her being notified.
“I Feel Worried for This Art Form”
Burch posted a video on her TikTok reacting to a tech demo that featured an AI-generated Aloy, and she talks about her main issue with the video—mainly her concerns with video game performance/acting as an art form. Check out her post:
If anything, Burch says she has no problems with the companies using AI or the fact that the technology exists. Her main issue is that AI could lead to the death of the artform of video game acting because studios may be able to mine performances from other places and not need actual actors to work on their game.
Burch says that the Screen Actors Guild (SAG-AFTRA) is currently on strike when it comes to video game companies, and she says that there is a fight going on for companies to compensate actors for their performances in a game adequately. Burch explains:
“I feel worried not because the technology exists, not even because game companies want to use it, because of course they want to use technological advancements, I just imagine a video like this coming out, that does have someone’s performance attached to it, that does have someone’s voice or face or movement, and the possibility that if we lose this fight, that person would have more recourse.”
The Last SAG-AFTRA Strike
In 2023, SAG-AFTRA went on strike from July to November to address a new compensation deal made for actors after the rise of streaming and AI.
While the old system fairly compensated actors for DVD sales and syndication, the new streaming model did not provide such a way to give back to the performers—even when a series was highly successful. AI was a looming threat, as people’s performances and images would be used to generate new images for machine learning—with no planned compensation for the actor.
Though the strike ended with regular Hollywood productions, the fight is still going on for the video game industry. After all, it’s an entirely different medium. With the several unique interactions expected from games, AI would probably be a massive boon for studios that may not have the resources or time to cast more people or record new performances.
Currently, negotiations are ongoing, and until a deal is met, no SAG actors are expected to work on any video game. Burch closes her statement:
“I love games. I love game performers. I love game performances so much, and I believe we deserve to be protected. So I’m gonna keep fighting, and if you’re in the game’s community I hope you do too.”
Catch Burch as Aloy in the Horizon games, now available on PlayStation and PC.