A leaked internal video indicates Sony is testing AI-driven characters for the PlayStation platform.
According to The Verge, an internal video from PlayStation Studios' advanced technology group has surfaced, featuring Aloy from the Horizon series as a demonstration of AI-powered in-game characters.
The video was later removed from YouTube due to a copyright claim by Muso, an online enforcement firm The Verge identifies as a Sony Interactive Entertainment client. This lends credibility to the leak. IGN has reached out to Sony for a statement.
As detailed by The Verge, the video shows Sony Interactive Entertainment director of software engineering, Sharwin Raghoebardajal, conversing with an AI version of Aloy using voice commands, with AI-generated speech and facial animations.
The system employs OpenAI’s Whisper for speech recognition, GPT-4 and Llama 3 for conversational AI and decision-making, Sony's Emotional Voice Synthesis (EVS) for speech generation, and Sony's Mockingbird technology for facial animation.
In the tech demonstration, Raghoebardajal asks Aloy how she is feeling. She responds, "Hello, I'm doing okay, just battling a bit of a sore throat. How about you?"
The voice speaking for Aloy is not that of the character's well-known voice actor, Ashly Burch. Instead, it's a synthetic, robotic voice akin to standard text-to-speech generators. The AI Aloy's facial expressions appear rigid, and her eyes lack vitality during the exchange.
When questioned about her search for her mother, Aloy answers, "I learned I am a clone of Dr. Elizabeth Sobeck, which helped clarify my purpose and origins."
Asked what it feels like to be a clone, she replies, "It's a unique experience. It connects me to the past while letting me carve out my own destiny."
The demo then shifts to the actual game world of Horizon Forbidden West, where Raghoebardajal continues the dialogue while playing. The sight of a player conversing with the character they control is somewhat disconcerting, and the irony of using Aloy for this AI experiment, given the Horizon series' narrative, is apparent.
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This prototype was developed with assistance from Horizon developer Guerrilla Games for internal presentation. “This is just a glimpse of what is possible,” Raghoebardajal states in the video. While it shows Sony's interest in exploring AI for characters, the company has not announced plans to integrate this technology into any consumer PlayStation products, nor is it clear if such integration is feasible with current PS5 titles.
Nonetheless, Sony's behind-the-scenes work aligns with industry trends, as nearly all major video game competitors are pursuing some form of AI technology. Microsoft, maker of Xbox, is heavily invested in AI and recently unveiled an AI tool named Muse to assist with game design ideation.
Generative AI remains a dominant topic in the video game and entertainment sectors, both of which have seen significant job cuts in recent years. However, it has faced pushback from players and creators over ethical concerns, rights issues, and its current limitations in producing engaging content. For example, Keywords Studios attempted to develop an experimental game using only AI, but the project failed. The company informed investors that AI could "not replace human talent."
In September, EA stated that AI was "central to its operations," and more recently, Capcom confirmed it is testing generative AI to generate the vast number of ideas required for in-game settings.
Asad Qizilbash, Head of PlayStation Productions and Head of Product at PlayStation Studios, commented on AI's role, noting its importance for Gen Z and Gen Alpha gamers who value "personalization in all experiences."
"For example, non-playable characters could dynamically respond to a player's actions, creating a more tailored feel," Qizilbash said. "This resonates with younger audiences who are digital natives and seek personalized, meaningful interactions."
Activision recently acknowledged using generative AI for certain assets in Call of Duty: Black Ops 6, following criticism over an "AI-generated" zombie Santa loading screen.
