Sony has been embroiled in some controversy recently, as an anonymous insider shared footage of the company’s experimental AI chat bots. AI has been a hot topic of debate, but what makes the Sony AI model so shocking to a lot of gamers is that the demo uses Horizon‘s Aloy as the character to represent the prototype.
This made serious waves, because using Aloy for such a demo completely goes against the main theme of the Horizon franchise. Horizon‘s plot hinges on a rogue AI destroying civilization, with the story following surviving human tribes over 1,000 years later. Despite the controversy, it’s clear that Sony is eyeing more AI advancements in its products. It’s unclear if these AI chat models will actually ever be implemented, but if so, Astro Bot‘s lovable protagonist feels like a far more fitting character to take such a route with.
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Sony’s AI Ambitions Would Be Better Off Embracing Astro Bot
Taking Full Advantage of the PlayStation’s New Mascot
- Astro Bot launched in September 2024.
- The game was inspired by the success of the PS5’s tech demo, Astro’s Playroom.
- Astro Bot ended up winning the Game of the Year Award at the 2024 Game Awards.
Ever since the PS5 launched back in 2020, Astro has quickly become a beloved Sony mascot. Astro Bot‘s blend of classic platforming and fresh, inventive controller mechanics makes Astro an exciting reminder of the platformer heyday and a thrilling taste of Sony’s innovation. Astro Bot resonated with many players that span a variety of generations, so if Sony wants to integrate an AI-fueled character into its products, Astro would make the most sense.
Astro Could Be a Good Fix to the Horizon Controversy
- Astro Bot features 195 cameos, with Aloy being one of them.
Astro Bot‘s many cameos could be the best way for Sony to showcase other exclusive characters as AI chat models. Astro could simply be the main template that allows players to choose their favorite version of the bot as their default in-console AI model. God of War fans could choose the Kratos bot, while Jake and Daxter lovers could pick the Jak bot.
While AI remains an incredibly divisive subject, Astro may present the only way for Sony to implement such a feature that doesn’t ruffle feathers as much as the use of Aloy. Choosing a main character from a story centered around the dangers of AI in order to demonstrate the very thing she is fighting against has a dystopian feel to it. Astro, on the other hand, is a far more fun-loving protagonist who has become a major representative of Sony’s modern era. Microsoft named its now-defunct AI virtual assistant after Halo‘s Cortana, so Astro could serve as Sony’s version of this.
In addition to Game of the Year, Astro Bot also won Best Game Direction, Best Family Game, and Best Action/Adventure.
Sony Hopefully Sheds Further Light On Its AI Intentions
Right now, it’s unclear just how Sony plans to use this technology. The now-deleted video that was sent anonymously to The Verge mentioned that the current version of the AI model was simply a prototype, hinting that it may be a long time before it is implemented, if at all. Even if Sony’s demo never becomes a full-blown PlayStation feature, the impending use of AI in gaming is alarming.
Ashly Burch, the voice actor of Aloy, has since come to TikTok to voice her own concerns about the leaked video. There are a lot of game performers and developers worried about AI potentially taking over jobs, and Sony’s AI Aloy demo has heightened that anxiety. Regardless of one’s stance on AI, using Aloy for such a demo is a surprising move on Sony’s part. If the company moves forward with these chat models, switching to Astro may prove to be a more versatile, and more importantly, less controversial choice.
Sony
- Date Founded
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May 7, 1946
- Headquarters
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Minato City, Tokyo, Japan