Sony group companies dedicated to robotics and artificial intelligence, Sony IA, Sony Interactive Entertainment (responsible for PlayStation) and Polyphony Digital (the entity responsible for the development of the Gran Turismo video game) announced on Wednesday the creation of GT Sophy (from Gran Turismo Sophy), an artificial intelligence agent designed to take on human players in Gran Turismo.
"We envision a future where AI agents can present developers and creators with new levels of innovation and open doors to unimagined opportunities," said Ueli Gallizzi, senior vice president, Future Technology Group, Sony Interactive Entertainment. "We could see unexpected levels of user engagement, better gaming experiences and the entrance of a whole new generation into the world of gaming."
The Gran Turismo Sophy is capable, for example, of overtaking by drag flow while avoiding collisions that are foul and respecting the trajectories of opponents.
GT Sophy was trained using a new deep reinforcement learning platform as no existing combination of algorithms and infrastructure could solve this challenge. The focus was on three parameters: race car control - deep knowledge of car dynamics, racing lines, and precision maneuvers; race tactics - split-second decision making skills such as drag flow overtaking, cross overtaking, and even some defensive maneuvers such as blocking; race etiquette - adherence to the rules of sportsmanship, which is considered essential for fair play, including avoiding foul collisions and respecting opponents' trajectories.
Sony AI tested the capabilities of GT Sophy by racing against four of the world's best Gran Turismo drivers in two Race Together 2021 Challenge events held on July 2 and October 21 last year. After some improvements made to the agent based on the results of the first race, GT Sophy outperformed the best human GT drivers in the timed races and an FIA-Certified Gran Turismo Championships race at the second event in October.
"Gran Turismo Sophy represents a significant development in AI, whose goal is not only to be better than human players, but also to provide them with a stimulating opponent that can accelerate and elevate players' techniques and creativity to a higher level," says Hiroaki Kitano, CEO of Sony AI, in a press release. "In addition to contributing to the gaming community, we believe this advancement offers new opportunities in areas such as autonomous racing, autonomous driving, control and high-speed robotics," he adds.
Source: visao e sie