A leaked internal video has revealed that Sony is exploring the use of AI-powered characters for the PlayStation platform. The Verge reported on the video, which was created by PlayStation Studios' advanced technology group and features Aloy from the Horizon series. The video, which was quickly pulled from YouTube due to a copyright claim by Muso—a company that lists Sony Interactive Entertainment as a client—demonstrates AI technology in action.
In the video, Sharwin Raghoebardajal, Sony Interactive Entertainment's director of software engineering, engages in a conversation with an AI-powered Aloy. The technology behind this demo includes OpenAI’s Whisper for speech recognition, GPT-4 and Llama 3 for conversational AI, Sony’s Emotional Voice Synthesis (EVS) for speech synthesis, and Sony’s Mockingbird technology for facial animations.
During the demo, Raghoebardajal asks Aloy about her well-being, to which she responds with a robotic voice, mentioning a sore throat. The AI-generated voice is not that of Ashly Burch, the voice actor for Aloy in the games. Aloy's facial animations appear stiff, and her eyes lack the lifelike quality seen in the actual games.
Aloy also discusses her search for her mother, revealing her identity as a clone of Dr. Elizabeth Sobeck and her feelings about being a clone. The demo transitions into the Horizon Forbidden West game world, where Raghoebardajal continues the conversation while playing, highlighting the unusual experience of conversing with a character the player controls.
The demo is described as a prototype developed in collaboration with Horizon's developer, Guerrilla Games, to showcase the technology internally at Sony. Raghoebardajal emphasizes that this is just a glimpse of what's possible, though Sony has not confirmed plans to integrate this technology into any public PlayStation products or suggested it could be feasible for PS5 games at this stage.
Sony's exploration of AI-powered characters aligns with broader industry trends, as competitors like Microsoft, with its AI Muse for game design, are also heavily investing in AI. Generative AI, while a hot topic, has faced criticism due to ethical concerns, rights issues, and challenges in producing engaging content. For example, Keywords Studios' attempt to create a game using entirely AI failed, and companies like EA and Capcom have expressed their interest in AI for various aspects of game development.
Asad Qizilbash, head of PlayStation Productions and head of product at PlayStation Studios, highlighted the importance of AI in video games for younger audiences like Gen Z and Gen Alpha, who seek personalized experiences. Activision recently acknowledged using generative AI for some assets in Call of Duty: Black Ops 6, amid controversy over an AI-generated loading screen.
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