- Sony has patented new 'Ghost Player' AI technology that will play PlayStation games when users get stuck.
- The AI system would be trained using gameplay clips from YouTube and Twitch, as well as data from the PlayStation Network.
- AI Ghost would analyze a player's game to identify the scenario they are trying to progress through and then process the game data to find the best solution.
Sony has patented new artificial intelligence technology that will take control of PlayStation games when the player gets stuck.
As BoingBoing reported, the patent, which was originally filed in September 2024, details a new AI-generated system called “Ghost Player” that would be capable of generating AI-powered “ghosts” that would assist players.
Essentially, the “AI Ghost” would demonstrate how to advance through the level if a player gets stuck, or take full control and advance through the stage.
Sony explained in the presentation that the AI would be trained using previous gameplay videos from YouTube and Twitch, and data from the PlayStation Network, to find the best solution to solve the problem.
“Some solutions have included using a character that a user can follow. However, the character is usually a graphic image or outlined image of a previous player who played the game and the user must follow the character by observing the movements that occurred (including movements and interactions that are not relevant to the user's current gaming scenarios),” Sony explained.
“However, this is not very useful for providing real-time assistance to a player who encounters some difficulty with a specific game scenario or along the player's specific game path. This is because the character does not know specifically what the player is playing or the context of the user's game.
“In addition, the character typically only performs actions of a previous player. Additionally, the character is only introduced for general game scenarios that relate to the game, not in relation to the context of the player's current gameplay.”
It is also said that the AI system could analyze a player's game state data to identify the scenario they are trying to progress through. The AI would then process the game to find the best solution.
“The relevant interactivity is for the context of the player's play, not just another player's previous play,” the patent reads.
“Therefore, the ghost character can be controlled by the Al assist engine during gameplay and provide the player with visual illustrations of how certain game scenarios are played so that the player-controlled character can achieve progress in the game.”
It sounds like an interesting idea, but what about, for example, FromSoftware games that don't offer an easy mode? If I'm trapped in a Elden Ring Boss, will the Ghost AI take over and defeat you for me, minimizing all my hard-earned progress?
Although the patent mentions ways that AI Ghost offers “limited support,” along with more detailed and comprehensive support, would it be a system I can opt out of entirely?
The patent doesn't mention any plans to implement this feature on future PlayStation hardware, but it's hard to ignore how quickly AI is coming to the gaming space, such as Microsoft's Gaming Copilot feature, which was introduced last year as a complement to AI.
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