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Sony has detailed its strategy for using AI tools in game development, while stating that “human creativity must remain at the center” of PlayStation’s creative efforts.
Speaking today during an investor-focused results presentation, via Variety, Sony boss Totoki Hiroki dubbed AI as “a powerful tool, but not a replacement for artists or creators,” while detailing how AI was being used within PlayStation’s studios.
One example of this is Mockingbird, an AI-powered tool that generates character animation from facial gestures recorded during performance capture. The Last of Us developer Naughty Dog and MLB The Show maker San Diego Studio were already using these kinds of tools, PlayStation boss Hideaki Nishino said.
Separately, Nishino discussed how Horizon Zero Dawn Remastered had used another AI tool to model the hair of main character Aloy. Video footage of real-world hairstyles was converted into a detailed 3D model using the tool, slashing the time it would have taken to build such models by hand.
Nishino also mentioned the use of AI to improve PS5 Pro visual fidelity, via the console’s well-documented PlayStation Spectral Super Resolution (PSSR) technology, which allows for better visuals at improved frame rates.
“Our goal is always to be the best place to play and the best place to publish,” Nishino said. “We see AI as a powerful tool to help us in this mission.”
Less excitingly, though still worth noting, Nishino claimed PlayStation had used AI-powered payment routing to generate an additional $700 million in revenue over recent years, simply by routing transactions over different payment networks. Machine-learning is also being used to build personalized purchasing suggestions, recommending games, subscriptions or merchandise to the fans most likely to buy them.
Beyond video games, Sony said it was similarly using AI tools for more menial tasks rather than direct content ideation, such as in legal content protection and 3D conversion of film footage within Sony Pictures.
As part of the same investor briefing, Sony said it was yet to decide when to launch the PlayStation 6, nor how much it will cost, as memory shortages continue to hit hard. The company also revealed it had been forced to take a $765 million impairment loss due to underperformance of Marathon developer Bungie during its last financial year.
Tom Phillips is IGN’s News Editor. You can reach Tom at tom_phillips@ign.com or find him on Bluesky @tomphillipseg.bsky.social
