AI Infiltrates Sony PlayStation Projects Starting With Surprising Game

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Summary

  • Sony’s PlayStation division is developing an AI-powered version of Aloy from the Horizon series.
  • The AI character can converse with players through voice prompts during gameplay.
  • Sony is testing this technology for potential use in the upcoming Horizon multiplayer game.

It appears that an increasing number of video game firms are adopting AI (Artificial Intelligence), and it seems that Sony’s PlayStation division is set to follow suit.

In a fascinating twist, one well-known PlayStation character is serving as the blueprint for an AI variant. The character in question is none other than Aloy, the lead from Guerrilla Games’ dynamic Horizon action series.

Aloy’s AI-Powered Version Can Converse With Players

A source leaked a private video from Sony’s PlayStation department, showcasing an AI-controlled Aloy in operation.

The video features commentary by Sharwin Raghoebardajal, a software engineering director at Sony Interactive Entertainment (SIE), whose responsibilities include developing tech for games, artificial intelligence, facial recognition, and computer vision within the advanced technology team for PlayStation Studios.

During the demonstration, Raghoebardajal showcased an AI-driven version of the game character Aloy who communicates with players using voice prompts during gameplay. The character in the demo illustrates how Aloy can answer questions, and the model also has realistic voice and facial expressions.

The demonstration presents Aloy, both in a simulation environment and within the context of Horizon Forbidden West. It’s important to note that this isn’t a future downloadable content expansion for the game, but rather an internal project created to exhibit technical capabilities.

This demonstration employs OpenAI’s Whisper for transcribing speech, and both GPT-4 and Llama 3 for handling dialogues and determining Aloy’s responses. Additionally, it leverages Sony’s Emotional Voice Synthesis (EVS) system for voice production. Furthermore, the audio to facial animation is fueled by another Sony technology known as Mockingbird.

Raghoebardajal affirms that the demonstration is functioning on personal computers, and while Sony has directly tested certain aspects of this technology on PlayStation 5 consoles, it appears to have minimal additional requirements or slowdowns (overhead).

Could it be possible that Sony is employing this technology for their upcoming multiplayer Horizon game? While we can’t confirm this, it certainly seems intriguing, albeit slightly unsettling. For instance, imagine if you could converse with Aloy in the next Horizon game! On one hand, this sounds exciting, but on the other, it raises concerns about privacy and various complications that might arise.

In addition to Sony, numerous game developers are leveraging AI for game development advancements. However, while AI is a valuable asset, it cannot replicate human ingenuity entirely. A recent example of AI falling short can be seen in the latest game available on the PlayStation Store.

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2025-03-11 00:40