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Sony CEO says although AI 'has been used for creation,' it's 'not a substitute for human creativity'

Sony's chairman believes AI enhances creativity but doesn't replace it, emphasizing the company's focus on supporting creators with technology while exploring AI's potential in gaming.

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Sony's chairman and president has said AI is "not a substitute for human creativity."

May 23 saw Sony's corporate strategy meeting presentation, which you can see in full just below. At around the 43 minute mark, Sony chairman and president Kenichiro Yoshida spoke briefly about game creation, including game engines, and implementing AI, but decried AI being used to entirely replace creativity, artists, and people.

"AI, which has recently evolved significantly, has been used for creation," Yoshida said. "AI can also be considered for computing technology. AI is not a substitute for human creativity. We position it as a technology that supports creativity. Creativity resides in people. We will continue to contribute to people's creativity through technology," the CEO added.

Yoshida also said that Sony wants to "nurture the next generation of creators" by setting up communities in which creatives can gather. The CEO added that Sony has been working for the past six years to "strengthen creative efforts," and the screen behind Yoshida used releases such as Helldivers 2, The Boys spin-off Gen V, and the Gran Turismo movie as examples.

Plenty of corporate bosses in the gaming industry have been speaking on AI of late. Earlier this month for example, Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot says he expected a lot from generative AI in the company's games, believing they would make them feel "more alive and richer." EA boss Andrew Wilson doubled down on the company's commitment to AI, believing more than 50% of EA's development process would be impacted by AI.

All this doesn't mean that Sony is steering clear of AI entirely. Just earlier this month, a Sony corporate strategy write-up said that the company would be "extending the creativity of creators with AI represented by 'Gran Turismo Sophy,' a racing AI agent that enhances the value of the experience within the game space." Sony also said that it "intends to continue to promote research and development in this area, alongside social implementation."

Take a look over our upcoming PS5 games guide for an overview of all the exclusives Sony has on the horizon.