In a presentation that focused on the corporation’s strategy, Sony provided insights into a collaboration between Sony AI and the PlayStation division. This involved how AI is expected to improve in future PS5 games.
What is this collaboration? To enhance AI in future PlayStation games, “Sony AI,” a subsidiary of the company, is closely working with the PlayStation division.
What is Sony AI? The subsidiary of Sony specializes in developing artificial intelligences. According to the website, the main focus areas include three core areas:
- Culinary
- Imaging and Sensors
- Gaming
Sony founded the subsidiary in 2019 and now apparently wants to involve it more in other areas of the corporation. In collaboration with Sony PlayStation, there will be intensified efforts to improve the AI that is used in PlayStation games.
AI should be able to learn autonomously
This is how AI is supposed to become smarter: In the presentation by Sony, there is talk of “Reinforcement learning.” This is a well-known technique that is currently in research and development. It means something like “Enhanced Learning” and is based on the trial-and-error principle:
- If an AI makes a mistake, it should learn from it autonomously.
- This should affect both potential AI companions and hostile NPCs.
- Future game AIs should be able to respond more variably to specific situations and become smarter.
Unfortunately, Sony does not provide more concrete examples, and we do not know how long it might take before we see the first results in games.
The presentation states:
Sony AI, which we founded last year, has started a collaboration with PlayStation that makes the gaming experience even richer and more entertaining. Through the use of Reinforced Learning, we are developing game AI agents that can serve as opponents or partners to the player.
Source: Strategic presentation
What future AIs in games may be capable of has already been hinted at by a Sony patent from 2019.
- It was about an artificial intelligence that communicates directly with the player.
- Another AI technique is supposed to tune the music played in games to the player’s emotions.
Many patents and projects remain futuristic, but development is steadily progressing. Not only Sony is working on the advancement of AI technology.
For example, Intel is working on censorship AI to protect you from nasty flamers in games like CoD or LoL.
This is how it will continue with PlayStation
These points are mentioned by Sony: In addition to improving and developing AI, Sony revealed other aspects of its future strategy.
This mainly involves expanding other franchises onto mobile platforms like Android and iOS. Additionally, more games are to be produced as series or films.
A concrete example is the film for Uncharted or the series for The Last Of Us, which is currently in the works at HBO. Moreover, there are plans to expand the PlayStation Network, the own streaming platform PlayStation Now, and the PS Plus model.
However, Sony held back on concrete details; the presentation primarily focused on the general direction it intends to take in the future.
You can find the entire presentation on the respective website at this link: sony.com
