A lot of major game publishers have been sparking up AI controversies recently, and PlayStation is the latest to join the conversation. While the company didn’t make any sweeping statements about AI usage or insert generative AI into a new game release, it did drop a few PS5 avatars of highly suspicious origin. Now, PlayStation has quietly replaced them with more palatable profile pictures.
ResetEra user J-Soul called out the initial AI usage, posting a set of avatar rewards from a new PlayStation advent calendar that bore trademark indicators of generative AI involvement. Reddit user FoFo1300 shared an update that upcoming calendar rewards have been replaced, with phone wallpapers appearing in lieu of planned AI-generated avatars.
PlayStation Quietly Removed Free, Alleged “AI”, Avatars
Far From Sony’s Finest Work
If there was any doubt that the original avatars were AI-generated, PlayStation’s removal of the rewards would presumably put it to rest. Even at a glance, though, there’s really no denying it. The AI sheen isn’t subtle, to say nothing of the gibberish script emulating Japanese or Chinese characters in the background of one cyberpunk profile picture.
The AI avatars aren’t necessarily omens of more extensive generative AI from PlayStation, as the advent calendar was presumably courtesy of a very different team than anyone who works on PlayStation games. Sony’s removal of the avatar suggests that the studio may not be as ready to embrace AI as Microsoft is, at least when users are willing to call it out.
Wallpapers Have Replaced PlayStation’s Avatar Rewards
A Step In The Right Direction
The mobile wallpapers are a somewhat unsatisfying solution, as PlayStation avatars are a little harder to come by than wallpapers. Nonetheless, it’s better than an unattractive array of mechanically lifeless images, all of which pale in comparison to a simple screenshot of Astro Bot or Kratos. Unfortunately, the first few days of rewards didn’t get replaced, so a few AI avatars have already been injected into the ecosystem.
Hopefully, PlayStation will come better prepared for next year’s advent calendar. It shouldn’t be hard for a gigantic corporation to pay a few artists for avatars, even if there’s no direct profit in the endeavor. The holidays are all about the human touch, after all, and small gestures can make a big difference for a brand.
At minimum, Sony could atone by posing some character models or pulling old renders for the next set of profile pictures. I won’t complain if it’s yet another Aloy push. I would even take Concord avatars over AI. Anything that PlayStation can cook up would be an improvement.
- Brand
-
Sony
- Original Release Date
-
November 19, 2020
- Original MSRP (USD)
-
$399.99 (Digital Only), $499.99 (Disc Drive)
- Weight
-
Digital Edition now weighs 3.4 kg & base version weighs 3.9 kg