Video game company Polyphony Digital, in collaboration with Sony and Sony Interactive Entertainment, has officially added Gran Turismo Sophy (GT Sophy) to ‘Gran Turismo 7′ exclusively for the PS5 as part of the ‘Spec II’ update released on November 2nd.
GT Sophy is a next-generation AI racing agent co-developed by Sony AI and Polyphony Digital. Players can now race with GT Sophy 2.0 using 95% of the game’s car models on nine different tracks, an impressive evolution from the four cars and four tracks available in the previous release.
Michael Spranger, Sony AI president comments, “We have evolved GT Sophy from a research project tackling the grand challenge of creating an AI agent that could outperform top drivers in a top simulation racing game, to a functional game feature that provides all game players a formidable, human-like opponent that enhances the overall racing experience.”
“From the beginning, our mission at Sony AI has been to advance the research and development of AI to enhance human imagination and creativity as well as entertainment experiences,” Spranger added. “This new milestone for GT Sophy showcases our work to support this mission as well as our close partnerships with creators to leverage AI in a unique way to develop new, enriching experiences.”
A fair gameplay experience
In addition, the AI’s driving skills were showcased in earlier live events like the ‘Gran Turismo World Series Showdown.’ However, in this latest update featuring GT Sophy 2.0, the AI can be customised to different skill levels. With a focus on fair play, the AI is intended to provide enjoyable and thrilling racing experiences for everyone, whether they are beginners or experienced racers.
Kazunori Yamauchi, Polyphony Digital president said, “Introducing GT Sophy to a wider range of users from the beginner to the expert, is a huge milestone in the evolution of Gran Turismo. GT Sophy is a revolutionary new technology that will change the way players experience racing games.”
“GT Sophy, which continues to evolve daily through our partnership with Sony AI, is a key element in keeping Gran Turismo exciting beyond its 25-year history. We are very satisfied with this achievement and am looking forward to seeing GT Sophy evolve even further in the future,” said Yamauchi.
PlayStation 5 players can learn how to race GT Sophy by following the steps outlined here.
Isa Muhammad is a writer and video game journalist covering many aspects of entertainment media including the film industry. He's steadily writing his way to the sharp end of journalism and enjoys staying informed. If he's not reading, playing video games or catching up on his favourite TV series, then he's probably writing about them.
