Sony recently had a pretty big "oops" moment, and I can't stop laughing at just how incredibly ironic it is. A leaked demonstration video has made its way online, showcasing Sony's latest AI breakthrough, featuring none other than Aloy—the iconic protagonist from their Horizon game series. At first glance, the technology looks amazing. It shows a reporter engaging in a full-blown conversation with an impressively responsive AI version of Aloy. Imagine how incredible it would be to walk through the bustling streets of a virtual RPG town, casually chatting with NPCs without relying on pre-written dialogue options. It genuinely opens up fascinating possibilities for the future of immersive gaming.
But let's pump the brakes a little, because there's a massive, hilarious irony in Sony choosing Aloy for this demo. If you're familiar with the Horizon games, you already know why: Aloy's entire story revolves around surviving in a post-apocalyptic world brought about by—you guessed it—a rogue AI! Yes, Sony somehow missed the memo and chose the one character whose life is dedicated to fighting back against AI that wiped out humanity to represent their shiny new conversational AI tech.
Beyond the obvious ethical issues this raises—like the implications for voice actors and game writers—the irony here is too delicious to ignore. This feels exactly like the now-famous meme: "At long last, we have created the Torment Nexus from the classic sci-fi novel 'Don't Create the Torment Nexus.'" Seriously, Sony, did nobody catch this? I'm just here for the laughs, hoping the next demo isn't a brand new genetically engineered fungus named "Joel".