Sony Develops AI Aloy Chatbot Prototype and Quickly Removes Leaked Demo Video

A video leak has surfaced online showcasing an internal Sony prototype that features an AI-driven NPC interacting with players. In this captivating reveal, Aloy from the Horizon series is seen answering questions, both in a controlled demo environment and during actual gameplay. Not long after the video appeared on YouTube, it was swiftly removed by Muso, a copyright enforcement firm partnering with PlayStation and other notable companies.

Reported by The Verge, who had access to the video via an anonymous source, they couldn’t showcase the original footage but produced an animation so audiences could witness Aloy having a chat. What’s notably missing from this rendition is the demonstration of the technology itself and the narration by Sharwin Raghoebardajal, Sony’s director of software engineering. However, determined sleuths might still find other versions circulating online.

Tom Warren from The Verge noted, “Aloy was seen reacting to inquiries with a synthesized voice and facial animations powered by AI, visible both in a demo and within the full Horizon Forbidden West game. Raghoebardajal clarified that this is merely a prototype created with Guerrilla Games to display the technology internally at Sony.”

This intriguing tech demonstration runs on a PC, utilizing OpenAI’s Whisper, GPT-4, and Llama 3 to bring the AI’s speech to life. Sony’s own Emotional Voice Synthesis also played a crucial role. Apparently, this demo was showcased internally about a year ago and during a private session at Sony’s Technology Exchange Fair last November.

Sony isn’t the only player exploring this frontier. Companies like Nvidia, Ubisoft, and Microsoft have all ventured into tech demos with similar technologies. Some might remember experiencing Nvidia’s own AI NPC in 2024. These developments rose amid a global surge of interest and investment in AI technology.

It’s important to underline that this Sony tech is purely at the prototype stage. No official plans have been announced to integrate it into consumer games like the Horizon series or others. So, it might be too early to get either excited or worried. Interestingly, this prototype’s existence wasn’t officially disclosed, leading some, myself included, to believe that companies might be racing to publicly showcase AI advancements to ride the wave of investment. Sony, it seems, is more focused on exploring this tech thoughtfully, aiming to gain experience and keep pace with potential trends in gaming development.

AI continues to be a hot topic in both the tech world and video gaming circles. Discussions often revolve around the real benefits it might offer and the impact it could have on jobs if it becomes widely used in game development. It’s worth noting that the AI industry faces financial instability, with companies like OpenAI losing large sums even though it’s a major player in the space. Recently, Microsoft also decided to cut several AI data center leases, which might hint at a waning enthusiasm for AI within the company.

What’s your take on all this? Would you be interested in chatting with Aloy? Feel free to share your thoughts!