Sony is testing out new AI software, and it’s using a beloved character–Aloy from the Horizon series–to show it off.
A YouTube video narrated by Sharwin Raghoebardajal–a software engineering director at Sony Interactive Entertainment who focuses on gaming tech, AI, and face technology for the Advanced Technology Group within Sony’s PlayStation Studios–appeared online last week, giving players a look at an AI-ified version of Horizon Zero Dawn and Horizon Forbidden West’s main character, Aloy.
Raghoebardajal verbally interacts with Aloy throughout the video, starting off by greeting her and asking how she’s been doing.
“Hello, I’m managing alright,” AI-Aloy replies flatly. “Just dealing with a sore throat. How have you been?”
Raghoebardajal then proceeds to ask Aloy if she’s willing to discuss events that have taken place in the Horizon franchise, like her search for her mother.
“Certainly,” Aloy says, replying to Raghoebardajal’s request for info with all the well-acted intonation of a TikTok text-to-speech video. “I discovered I’m a clone of Dr. Elizabeth Sobeck, which allowed me to understand my purpose and origins.”
When asked what it’s like to be a clone, Aloy replies with nightmare-inducing mouth animations, saying, “Being a clone feels unique, connecting me to the past while allowing me to create my own path and future.”
Eventually, Raghoebardajal requests that Aloy take him into the game world.
“Sure, we’ll transition to the game world now, get ready for the adventure ahead,” Aloy replies in a tone so un-emotive it’s rather hard to believe any sort of adventure awaits.
The screen goes black, then transitions to Horizon Forbidden West. Raghoebardajal continues communicating with Aloy in-game, asking her where they are. Using the same expressionless tone she’s used for the entire video, Aloy explains that they’re at The Scalding Spear, a large settlement near Arrowhand.
According to Raghoebardajal, AI is being used for Aloy’s facial animations, verbal responses, and her voice itself. Notably, the Aloy in this demonstration sounds nothing like Aloy’s real-life voice actress, Ashly Burch, who voiced the character in both games. Burch hasn’t commented publicly on the demonstration, but has historically supported protections against AI for voice actors in video games.
As this article was being written, the video was removed from YouTube via a copyright strike filed by Muso TNT Ltd., a company that focuses on content protection and anti-piracy efforts in the entertainment industry. The company recently rebranded, and is now known simply as Muso. It’s unclear why the video was taken down or if the footage had been leaked and uploaded by a channel not associated with Sony or Raghoebardajal.
Though the video has been removed, The Verge managed to capture a gif of what the demo looked like in action.
“This is just a glimpse of what is possible,” Raghoebardajal said of Aloy’s AI demonstration.