PlayStation co-CEO Hermen Hulst recently shared his perspective on AI's role in gaming, emphasizing its transformative potential while asserting the irreplaceable value of human creativity. Read on to learn more about his views and PlayStation's future plans after 30 successful years.

AI: A Revolution, Not a Replacement

The Dual Demand in Gaming

In a BBC interview, Sony Interactive Entertainment co-CEO Hermen Hulst acknowledged AI's capacity to revolutionize gaming. However, he stressed that it can never fully replicate the unique "human touch" integral to game development.

Sony and PlayStation, celebrating 30 years since the launch of the original PlayStation in 1994, have witnessed firsthand the industry's evolution and technological advancements. The rise of artificial intelligence is a key aspect of this evolution, presenting both opportunities and challenges.

Concerns exist within the game development community regarding AI's impact on jobs. While AI automates mundane tasks, increasing efficiency, there are fears it could also encroach upon the creative process, potentially displacing human workers. This concern is highlighted by recent strikes among American voice actors, protesting the use of generative AI to replace their voices and reduce costs—a trend particularly notable within the Genshin Impact community.

A CIST market research survey reveals that approximately two-thirds of game development studios already utilize AI to streamline workflows, primarily for rapid prototyping, concepting, asset creation, and world-building.

"Striking the right balance between leveraging AI and preserving the human touch will be crucial," Hulst stated. "I suspect there will be a dual demand in gaming: one for AI-driven innovative experiences and another for handcrafted, thoughtful content."

PlayStation is actively involved in AI research and development, with a dedicated Sony AI department established in 2022. Beyond gaming, the company is exploring multimedia expansion, adapting its game IPs into films and TV series, citing God of War (2018) as an example of this ongoing strategy. Hulst aims to elevate PlayStation IPs beyond gaming, integrating them seamlessly into the broader entertainment landscape.

This expansion strategy may be linked to rumored acquisition talks with Kadokawa Corporation, a Japanese multimedia giant with extensive holdings across various media, including anime. However, details remain undisclosed.

The PlayStation 3: A Lesson in Ambition

In reflecting on PlayStation's 30th anniversary, former PlayStation chief Shawn Layden shared anecdotes and insights from his career. He described the PlayStation 3 (PS3) as an "Icarus moment," a period of overly ambitious goals that ultimately led to challenges. The team aimed to create a console that was far more than a simple game machine, incorporating numerous features and technologies, but this proved too costly and complex for the time.

"PS3 got us back to first principles," Layden explained. "We learned that the center of the machine has to be gaming. When PS4 came out, it set us against what Xbox was trying to do. They wanted to build more of a multimedia experience, and we just wanted to build a kick-ass game machine." This refocusing on core gaming principles proved pivotal to the PS4's success.