- Sony CEO Hideaki Nishino shows commitment to using AI for PlayStation game development
- Nishino intends to use AI to improve game development and “unleash the creativity of our studios”
- This comes amid controversy behind the impact of AI on the gaming market and its use in Nvidia’s DLSS 5.
AI is causing major problems in the PC and gaming console markets, with extremely high RAM prices and shortages, and now there’s another reason why gamers should care about its presence in games.
As reported by VGC, Sony CEO Hideaki Nishino recently highlighted a new plan that includes the use of AI in PlayStation to improve productivity in game development.
This comes amid a controversy over AI that is not only driving up prices across the board due to increased demand for memory, but also through Nvidia’s DLSS 5 (planned for late 2026), which many have likened to a generative AI filter for gaming.
The introduction of DLSS 5 has already served as a worrying sign of what game development may eventually become, and it’s not even here yet, and while it will be optional for gamers, many developers have already endorsed the tool and plan to use it once it’s available.
That’s exactly what makes Nishino’s promise to use AI troubling, as he stated: “At PlayStation, our goal is always to be the best place to play and the best to publish. We see AI as a powerful tool to help us in this mission.”
The latter statement effectively mimics what Nvidia itself and some game developers and publishers said about DLSS 5, suggesting that AI will only be used as a “tool” and not a centerpiece of games, but it’s not that simple.
Nisihino went on to say, “The vision, design, and emotional impact of our games will always come from the talent of our studios and artists. AI is meant to augment their abilities, not replace them,” further hinting that AI will be used strictly for game development.
“We believe AI will unleash the creativity of our studios, drive a more curated platform, and enhance the PlayStation experience for both players and creators.”
On paper, PlayStation’s commitment to keeping the use of AI strictly within game development without replacing human artists isn’t necessarily bad (it’s not a popular move either), but what it could eventually lead to is very worrying.
With DLSS 5, Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang told gamers that they were “completely wrong” about DLSS 5 being generative AI in games, as it was “content-driven generative AI.” However, those were seen as buzzwords to prevent players from seeing DLSS 5 for what it really is, as it clearly changes character and environment details, moving away from the artist’s design choices.
PlayStation doesn’t have a case equivalent to DLSS 5 (thankfully), but the very presence of AI in game development for the company to begin with means there’s a chance its use could spread even further, perhaps with the emergence of next-generation AI assets in games.
It’s not a stretch to suggest that the latter could happen when Activision is actively using AI in its Obligations games, which has not been well received by players. The only hope left is that consumer backlash will keep PlayStation and its first-party studios at bay, and if DLSS 5 is anything to go by, that’s a decent start.
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