# Sony leadership says AI tools are "an important foundational technology supporting our strategy" > Source: > Published: 2026-07-07 06:41:04+00:00 # Sony leadership says AI tools are "an important foundational technology supporting our strategy" "This is less about cost efficiency and more about improving quality and development speed" Sony says implementing AI tools in development is "enhancing" their work "by removing repetitive tasks and enabling faster iteration." During a meeting on [ the Game & Network Services segment's performance and strategy](https://www.sony.com/en/SonyInfo/IR/library/presen/business_segment_meeting/pdf/2026/GNS_QA_E.pdf) last month, Sony Interactive Entertainment's leadership called AI an "important foundational technology supporting our strategy." "AI is already helping us across various fields by improving development efficiency, enhancing the player experience, improving content discovery, and enabling creators to build richer content," said SIE CEO and president Hideaki Nishino, studio business CEO Hermen Hulst, and senior vice president of finance and corporate development Lynn Azar in a joint statement. Sony provided examples of AI tools, including the use of synthetic voices as early placeholders. "This is less about cost efficiency and more about improving quality and development speed, which we see as highly valuable," they said. "AI has been deeply embedded in our development processes, and we are increasingly seeing its impact on more immersive in-game experiences, where characters and worlds are enhanced by AI capabilities." SIE leadership continued: "At the same time, we are experimenting at a more fundamental level with smaller, AI-first initiatives, while remaining realistic about near-term efficiency gains. These efforts position us to stay at the forefront as AI continues to evolve, both in development processes and in shaping future player experiences." Earlier this year, SIE outlined [ how its first-party studios use AI tools in development](https://www.gamesindustry.biz/sony-maps-out-how-first-party-playstation-studios-are-utilising-ai-tools-during-development). Teams at Naughty Dog, San Diego Studio, and others have used Mockingbird, an AI tool that generates facial models from performance capture. This tool was recently used in Horizon Zero Dawn Remastered. "These practical applications allow our teams to spend less time on manual, high-effort tasks and to instead reinvest their time into building richer worlds and gameplay," said Nishino. "The vision, design, and emotional impact of our games will always come from the talent of our studios and performers. AI is meant to augment their capabilities, not to replace them." Sony's commitment to AI aligns with its broader shift toward a digital-first ecosystem. This transition is underscored by plans announced last week to [end production of physical discs for new PlayStation games](https://www.gamesindustry.biz/sony-to-discontinue-physical-discs-for-new-games-launching-on-ps-consoles-from-january-2028) starting January 2028. Sony [ clarified in a separate announcement](https://www.gamesindustry.biz/sony-clarifies-re-order-support-for-existing-playstation-discs) that developers and publishers can continue to re-order discs for games released before the end-of-production date.