Sony's new AI racer will now compete against players in Gran Turismo 7 on PS5

Sony’s AI, GT Sophy, has made a comeback in Gran Turismo 7, now known as Gran Turismo Sophy 2.0. This machine learning opponent was first introduced in February 2022 and has been impressing players with its skills. It’s not just about beating human players; the AI aims to provide a stimulating opponent that can help players improve their techniques and creativity. The AI will be available to all PlayStation 5 users as part of the GT7 Spec II Update (Patch Update 1.40), which will be released on Wednesday, November 2 at 2 a.m. ET (11:30AM IST). The AI has been trained to understand vehicle dynamics and capabilities, as well as racing tactics like slipstreaming, passing, and blocking overtakers.

In the past, players who had progressed sufficiently through the game were granted access to a special race where they faced off against four AI-controlled opponents on a limited number of tracks. As players advanced through the race rounds, Sophy gained access to increasingly capable vehicles.

“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,” Sony AI’s COO, Michael Spranger said in a statement.

With the latest update, Sophy can now pilot up to 340 vehicles across nine unique tracks. This means Sophy can drive 95 percent of the playable in-game models and will select its car for the race based on what the player has available in their garage. The small fraction of vehicles, constituting five percent, that it is unable to operate are a select few high-performance speciality cars such as karts or the Dodge SRT Tomahawk VGT.

Regardless of their progress in the game or their current skill level, players have the opportunity to compete against Sophy in Quick Race mode (previously known as “Arcade”). All you need is a PS5, an internet connection, and the most recent update patch installed, and you too can experience the thrill of racing against a series of algorithmic processes, akin to being ‘Toretto’ed’.