Sony Experiments With AI Technology Using Aloy From The Horizon Franchise
In a now deleted YouTube video, Sony recently showcased its latest AI software featuring Aloy from the Horizon franchise. The demonstration depicted Aloy interacting with a PlayStation staff member, illustrating the capabilities of the new technology.
AI Utilized in the Demonstration
According to a report by GameSpot, the video was narrated by Sharwin Raghoebardajal, a software engineering director at Sony Interactive Entertainment. The demo employed Open AI’s Whisper for speech-to-text conversion and featured GPT-4 and Llama 3 for generating conversations and making decisions. Raghoebardajal also mentioned Sony's Emotional Voice Synthesis system for speech generation and an audio to face animation software powered by Sony’s Mockingbird technology.
Implications and Concerns
Sony has already tested this AI technology on PS5 consoles with minimal performance impact, hinting at potential future applications. However, the exact purpose of the AI remains undisclosed, raising questions about its intended use.
One potential concern is the impact on voice actors, as demonstrated by AI Aloy's voice not resembling Ashly Burch's. This discrepancy could be attributed to contractual obligations safeguarding voice actors from having their voices replicated in AI projects. Ashly Burch, in support of SAG-AFTRA's 2023 strike, advocates for protecting voice actresses from AI utilization.
Copyright Controversy and Future Prospects
The YouTube video was removed due to a copyright claim by MUSO TNT LTD, leaving its re-upload status uncertain. Despite this setback, Sony's foray into AI technology using iconic characters like Aloy signals a potential shift in the gaming industry's landscape.
