Ashly Burch, the voice behind Aloy in the popular Horizon franchise, has expressed concerns about the future of voice acting and motion capture in the gaming industry following the recent revelation of Sony's Aloy AI chatbot.  Fans have already noted the irony of an AI version of Horizon's protagonist, but Burch's worries extend beyond the bot itself, focusing on the broader implications for the relationship between actors and video game development.

Aloy has quickly become a recognizable PlayStation icon, alongside characters like Spider-Man and Kratos. Burch, also known for her roles in Life is Strange and the Attack on Titan anime, has portrayed Aloy in Horizon Zero Dawn, Horizon Forbidden West, and the LEGO Horizon Adventures game.

The recent leak of a demo showcasing Sony's development of an Aloy AI chatbot has amplified Burch's concerns. While the leaked YouTube video has been removed due to copyright issues, it sparked questions about the chatbot's purpose and created unease for Burch. In a TikTok video, she explained that Guerrilla Games, the studio behind Horizon, assured her that the chatbot didn't utilize her voice or motion capture performance and wasn't related to any active development projects.

Despite these assurances, Burch remains apprehensive about the future of 'game performance as an art form.'  She connects her concerns to the ongoing SAG-AFTRA strike, which aims to protect actors from the potential displacement by generative AI in video game production. Burch echoes the union's demands for consent and fair compensation when actors' likenesses are used for AI purposes.

Burch acknowledges the potential benefits of AI in game development and doesn't fault Guerrilla Games or other companies for exploring these technologies.  However, she fears a future where actors' work is used without their permission or proper compensation, leaving them with limited legal recourse.  She worries that the absence of adequate protections could significantly jeopardize the profession of video game acting.

Burch emphasized her passion for the industry and its artistic expression, stating, 'It hurts my heart. It scares me. I love this industry and this art form so much, and I want there to be a new generation of actors.'  This underscores the importance of addressing these concerns to ensure the continued growth and well-being of the video game acting profession.