PlayStation is testing AI-driven characters, and I’m not a fan

Sony is reportedly working on creating more interactive conversations with gaming characters, as seen in a leaked video featuring Aloy from Horizon Forbidden West. The video shows Aloy engaging in dialogue with the player, sharing details about her background. While the advancement of AI is impressive, some find the result to be a bit unsettling.

The leaked video, shared with The Verge, showcases a prototype where Sony’s director of software engineering, Sharwin Raghoebardajal, interacts with Aloy. Despite the natural flow of dialogue powered by AI, Aloy’s voice and facial expressions reveal that the interaction is generated, leading to an uncanny valley effect.

Raghoebardajal prompts Aloy to discuss her search for her mother, with the conversation showcasing AI-generated responses. The video, although intriguing, raises questions about the use of AI in character interactions.

A snippet of the video is included below, but beware of spoilers for Horizon Forbidden West storylines.

The leaked video, initially questioned for its authenticity, is now confirmed to be a prototype developed by Sony in collaboration with Guerrilla Games. The technology showcased utilizes OpenAI’s whisper model for speech-to-text conversion, along with GPT-4 and Llama 3 for conversations.

An update to the situation involves the removal of the original leaked video by Muso, a copyright enforcement company for Sony Interactive Entertainment, adding credibility to the prototype. It remains uncertain if Sony will implement AI-driven characters in future games, as other companies like Nvidia, Ubisoft, and Tencent are also exploring AI in NPC interactions.