Actor Ashly Burch literally gives voice to SAG-AFTRA strike against Sony and co.

The gaming industry faces a growing tension between technological innovation and the rights of voice actors as AI voice replication capabilities advance. Ashly Burch, whose performance as Aloy has been central to the PlayStation “Horizon” franchise’s success, is raising ethical concerns about an unauthorized AI replication of her character, highlighting broader questions about consent, compensation, and artistic integrity within the ongoing SAG-AFTRA strike against game developers.

The controversy: Ashly Burch, voice of Aloy in the “Horizon” PlayStation games, expressed alarm over an internal Sony tech demo featuring an AI imitation of her character.

• The leaked footage showed an AI-puppeted version of Aloy stiffly answering questions, a demonstration Burch described as concerning for both her career and voice acting as an art form.
• While Guerilla Games claimed the demo “didn’t reflect anything that was actively in development” and stated no performance capture or Burch’s actual voice data was used, the timing remains problematic.

Why this matters: The demonstration surfaces amid an ongoing SAG-AFTRA strike against game companies that began in July 2024, with AI protections being a central demand.

• “What we’re fighting for is that you have to get our consent before you make an AI version of us in any form,” Burch explained in her video response shared on social media.
• She added that fair compensation and transparency about how AI doubles are used are also key points in the union’s negotiations.

The broader implications: Burch warned that if performers lose this fight for protections, they would have “no recourse” if their likenesses are appropriated by AI.

• The voice actor emphasized that technology itself isn’t the problem, but rather the game industry’s resistance to providing “common sense protections” for performers.
• The timing of Sony’s demo has been criticized as tone-deaf given the ongoing strike actions, with some viewing it as a potential warning to performers about the industry’s technological direction.