Recent unveiling of a patent suggests that Sony is considering the incorporation of an AI-powered addition to its gaming-centric product line. While AI has gained widespread use in general computing, its integration into gaming hardware is still in its early stages.

Despite AI's prominence in 2022 and its prevalence in the tech industry, it is unlikely that Sony will promptly introduce its initial foray into this emerging technology. A case in point is the recent introduction of the PlayStation Portal with Remote Play, nearly two decades after its inception during the PlayStation 3 era.

Integration of AI in the PlayStation Experience

Based on the newly disclosed patent, the envisioned AI-driven product is expected to fulfill a specific and limited role. According to the patent, Sony seeks to harness AI capabilities to provide players with a 'helper' that will enhance the PlayStation VR experience by addressing play session interruptions. The hardware is designed to leverage AI to aid players when they go AFK, manage their AFK duration, and assist upon their return from being AFK.

Although the operational details of this potential addition to the PS VR accessory lineup remain unclear, the patent description suggests that Sony intends to deploy the 'helper' to automatically pause VR games during interruptions or guide players to safe in-game locations to prevent encountering game over screens upon resuming play.

Considering that this would be Sony's initial endeavor to integrate AI into the PlayStation experience at a hardware level, it is rational to assume that the company will not radically redefine its approach to this technology. Instead, it can be viewed as Sony's commitment to fortify its virtual reality offerings. However, the potential launch of this AI-powered 'helper' is contingent on the surge in popularity of VR games. The tepid sales of VR games across the market, including the PlayStation ecosystem, will likely influence Sony's decision regarding this patent.