Sony PlayStation CEO Nishino Hideaki reveals how AI is used to create games, calls it a powerful tool
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Almost every industry out there has been using AI in one way or another. However, when we talk about gaming, the use of AI has often been criticised. Be it indie games or AAA titles, big gaming studios or small ones, the use of AI has always been a debatable topic. And now, Sony CEO Hiroki Totoki and PlayStation CEO Nishino Hideaki have called AI a powerful tool and outlined how it is used to create PlayStation games. Now before you raise your eyebrows, let us clarify that they also added that AI isn’t a replacement for artists or creators. Read on.
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Sony CEO calls AI a powerful tool
A report in Variety says that the Sony CEO Hiroki Totoki was speaking at an investor focused presentation recently. This is when he talked about the company’s approach on AI and said that ‘Human creativity must remain at the center’.
He then added that even though AI is a ‘powerful tool’, it won’t replace artists or creators. On the other hand, it is an ‘amplifier of human imagination and catalyst for new possibilities’.
PlayStation CEO on how AI is used to make games
After Totoki, PlayStation CEO Nishino Hideaki revealed how PlayStation games are being made using AI. Calling the technology a ‘powerful tool’, Hideaki said they have the goal of being ‘the best place to play and publish’.
He then went into some details and revealed how developers are now automating repetitive tasks and speeding up areas like software development, testing, 3D design, and animation.
He also shared an example of the AI tool called Mockingbird which can create facial animations from actor performance data much faster than older methods. Studios like Naughty Dog (The Last of Us series) and San Diego Studio (MLB: The Show games) are already using it in released games. In addition to this, Sony has also developed another AI-based tool that can turn videos of real hairstyles into detailed 3D hair models, cutting down a process that previously took a lot of manual work.
Apart from this, Sony is also working on machine-learning systems that could personalise recommendations for players. As a result, PlayStation may not just suggest new games in the future, but also specific gameplay experiences, subscriptions, accessories, or merchandise based on a player’s interests.
Hideaki also talked about how AI is being used to improve graphics on the PlayStation 5 Pro. Sony’s PlayStation Spectral Super Resolution technology uses machine learning to deliver sharper 4K visuals while maintaining high frame rates.
At the same time, Nishino also echoed Sony CEO’s statement and reiterated that Sony still sees human creativity as the most important part of game development. He added that AI is meant to support developers and artists, not replace them.
‘The vision, the design and the emotional impact of our games will always come from the talent of our studios and performers,’ he said and added, ‘AI is meant to augment their capabilities, not to replace them.’
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