Gran Turismo Sophy is a cloud-based AI that can beat any driver

metro.co.uk:

Sony has unveiled its ‘breakthrough’ AI project for Gran Turismo 7 but it won’t be available for the game’s launch next month.

Driving games don’t seem the most obvious platform to test artificial intelligence on, but Microsoft’s Drivatar technology has been used in the Forza games for years, to mimic the way real people play.

Now Sony has unveiled Gran Turismo Sophy, a new cloud technology that uses an advanced form of machine learning, called reinforcement learning, which is used to create the ultimate driver.

The AI is able to not only beat the best human Gran Turismo players, but it does so while keeping to track etiquette and appearing to play like a real person.

The idea is that not only will Sophy (a former title for the ruler of Persia, although we’re not sure how that’s relevant) learn from the best human players but it will then be able to teach mere mortals advanced driving techniques.

The project has been a collaboration between Gran Turismo developer Polyphony Digital, Sony AI, and Sony Interactive Entertainment, although the implication is that the same technology will be used in other games in the future.

‘We’re going to create artificial intelligence that will unleash the power of human creativity and imagination’, said CEO Hiroaki Kitano in an update on the Sony Interactive Entertainment blog.

‘We envision a future where AI agents could introduce developers and creators to new levels of innovation and unlock doors to unimaged opportunities’, added Ueli Gallizzi of Sony Interactive Entertainment.

‘We could see unexpected levels of user engagement, better gaming experiences, and the entry of a whole new generation into the world of gaming’.

You’ll notice that all that is so vague as to be virtually meaningless, but