Sony
CES 2024: Sony is pushing towards the future with creativity that goes beyond only AI
Sony demonstrates that not everything is AI at CES 2024 and shows how the company still embraces the creativity of creators.
This afternoon, Sony took the stage at the Las Vegas Convention Center to present the future projects they will show during CES 2024,
Kenishiro Yoshida started the keynote, by mentioning the difficult times that are happening in Japan. Sony has been here for creators and to be a force to create stories. Part of this has been the 100 years of Colombia Pictures and the many movies like ‘It Happened One Night’, ‘Lawrence of Arabia’, ‘Taxi Driver’, and ‘Karate Kid’ that the company has created during this century.
Joe Platt and Neal Manowitz, chairman of Sony Music and President of Sony Electronics respectively, took the stage to talk about Sony Music Publishing and how they work to foster creativity for emerging songwriters, musicians, and artists around the world.
As a way to help photographers, Sony is working with Associate Press to create a “virtual birth certificate” for each of the pictures photographers take on Sony cameras to preserve the validity of their shots.
Torchlight, a new software was presented, as a way to help directors and cinematographers to create and prepare shots. This program is used to facilitate the filmmaking process of turning concepts to visualizations. In collaboration with Epic, the software uses Unreal Engine 5 to create shots and streamline the pre-production pipeline with a variety of tools that aid (and work in conjunction with) motion capture, animation, and even something as simple as storyboarding.
More Video game series (and movies) on the road
The Last of Us from HBO has been the Sony Pictures Television most-watched series. God of War and Horizon Zero Dawn tv adaptations are still in loop and more details will be given soon. This department is also working on other series.
Yoshida San also mentioned that they are proud to be working on the adaptation of Nintendo’s flagship video game franchise, The Legend of Zelda, to the big screen.
Motion capture and haptic technology will be used to expand the world of Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire by way of a physical experience, this time in a bar in Chicago that is seemingly haunted. As it stands, this tease seems to suggest Sony Pictures is set to show off their advancements in technology like Haptic Feedback and perhaps even 3D holographic projections.
Anime
Crunchyrolll has just surpassed 13 million paid subscribers, and has created new distribution partnerships to enhance their reach to regions like India, Southeast Asia, and Latin America.
For sports, they have mentioned the use of the VAR Offline, as well as other video technologies in the NBA and NFL. This last one, also considered the Toy Story collaboration with Disney during the last Super Bowl.
PlayStation
Yoshida touted that the PlayStation 5 has surpassed the 50 million units sold mark, thanks in great part to a series of hit game releases on the platform like Spider-Man 2, Fortnite, and EA FC 24, which in turn resulted in 123 Million monthly active Users being registered just last month, a new record high for the company.
Gran Turismo Sophy 2.0 was also praised for the way it functions, giving Gran Turismo 7 players a realistic human-like AI to play and challenge them.
Honda Sony Mobility
The Mobility space is considered by Sony as an entertainment space, which will use the entertainment expertise of the company. Toshihiro Mibe, President of Honda Motor took the stage to talk about their vision of this mix.
This required the adoption of new technologies and Sony can help create new applications for mobility in the future. Honda and Sony mobility can create a new experience that goes beyond conventional ways.
Honda Sony Mobility is a reality and with a DualSense, its president was capable of controlling a prototype of AFEELA, a new Electric vehicle that deeply incorporates AI technology intending to redefine the relationship between people and mobility.
AI systems and Machine Learning have been used to create incredibly expansive data acquisition and information software for vehicles by taking the environment around the vehicle and processing visual data, running it through preexisting driving data from traffic and navigation software, and delivering understandable and easy to read feedback to drivers.
An “AFEELA Simulator” is being developed with the help of Epic Games’ technology, mainly Unreal Engine 3.5, as a way to showcase the way its AI tech aims to transform the way we think about mobility through AR, which is also being considered to deliver gaming and entertainment features while driving. This opens the doors for AFEELA co-creator, letting users create and customize the vehicle’s many displays.
Microsoft will be a partner in terms of AI to create new customer experiences. Safety and security are some of the biggest priorities for Microsoft, and they really want to develop safe and secure AI.
Polyphony Digital will also collaborate with Sony Honda Mobility by combining their simulation technology with their development expertise, they hope to “incorporate human senses and emotion” into their research and development.
Sony has much more than games… but how about some more Last of Us 2?
Just this past month, Naughty Dog and PlayStation surprised fans by announcing The Last of Us Part 2 Remastered, a new and improved version of their 2020 game that is set to add features from the PlayStation 5 and make full use of its new gen technologies.
The Last of Us Part 2 will release in just a few weeks time, as it’s launch is set for January 19, 2024. It’ll restore some lost content that never saw the light of day, as well as include an entirely new game mode called No Return that incorporates the fantastic combat mechanics from the main game and restructures them into a roguelite experience where you’ll be able to play as many of the franchises characters.