Sony Uses Horizon’s Aloy To Demonstrate New AI Tech, And It’s About As Impressive As You’d Expect

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Sony is trialing a novel AI program, demonstrating its capabilities through the popular character Aloy from the Horizon series.

Last week, a YouTube video emerged, showcasing an artificially intelligent version of Aloy, the main character from Horizon Zero Dawn and Horizon Forbidden West, as narrated by Sharwin Raghoebardajal – a software engineering director at Sony Interactive Entertainment specializing in gaming technology, AI, and face technology within Sony’s PlayStation Studios.

Throughout the video, Raghoebardajal engages in conversation with Aloy, first extending a warm greeting and inquiring about her well-being.

Hi there! I’m getting by, though I’ve got a bit of a cold right now. How about you? How are things going?” – AI-Aloy responds in a low key manner.

Afterward, Raghoebardajal inquires whether Aloy is open to conversing about occurrences within the Horizon series, such as her quest to find her mother.

Aloy confirms Raghoebardajal’s query for information with the enthusiasm of a TikTok voiceover. She shares that she uncovered her identity as a clone of Dr. Elizabeth Sobeck, a revelation that illuminated both her mission and her roots.

When questioned about her experience as a clone, Aloy responds in a chilling manner, expressing, “As a clone, I find myself distinct, with roots reaching back to the past yet freedom to carve out my individual journey towards the future.

Eventually, Raghoebardajal requests that Aloy take him into the game world.

Alright, let’s move on to the game world now. Make sure you’re prepared for what lies ahead, though it might be tough to tell from my tone.

Initially, the screen turns dark, followed by a shift to Horizon Forbidden West. Throughout the game, Raghoebardajal keeps in touch with Aloy, inquiring about their location. Maintaining her consistent monotone voice from the entire video, Aloy clarifies that they’re currently at The Scalding Spear – a substantial settlement not far from Arrowhand.

Based on Raghoebardajal’s statements, artificial intelligence is utilized for Aloy’s facial expressions, dialogues, and even her voice in this presentation. Interestingly, the version of Aloy shown here doesn’t bear much resemblance to Ashly Burch, the actress who voiced her in both games. Burch has yet to publicly comment on this demonstration, but she has previously advocated for safeguards regarding AI use in voice acting roles within video games.

While I was composing this piece, the video in question was deleted from YouTube due to a copyright claim submitted by Muso, a firm specializing in content protection and combating piracy within the entertainment sector. Notably, they have recently rebranded, now going by the name Muso alone. It’s uncertain whether the video removal was due to an infringement or if an unauthorized channel uploaded the footage without ties to Sony or Raghoebardajal.

Though the video was taken down, The Verge successfully created a moving image (a gif) that demonstrates how the demo functioned.

“This is just a glimpse of what is possible,” Raghoebardajal said of Aloy’s AI demonstration.

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2025-03-11 00:39