Sony’s ‘GT Sophy’ racing AI is outperforming all challengers in Gran Turismo 7.

After nearly two years since its prototype debut and eight months after its public beta, Sony’s GT Sophy racing AI for Gran Turismo 7 has returned with the new moniker of Gran Turismo Sophy 2.0. This updated version will be available to all PlayStation 5 users as part of the GT7 Spec II Update (Patch Update 1.40) scheduled for release on Wednesday, November 2 at 2 a.m. ET.

Introduction of Sophy System
We first caught a glimpse of the Sophy system back in February 2022 when it was already surpassing professional Gran Turismo players. According to Sony AI CEO Hiroaki Kitano, the purpose of Gran Turismo Sophy is not only to outperform human players but also to provide a challenging opponent that can help players enhance their skills and creativity. This breakthrough in AI technology is expected to have applications beyond gaming, including autonomous driving, high-speed robotics, and control.

Evolution of GT Sophy
Following a public beta in February where the AI competed against a select group of users in the “Gran Turismo Sophy Race Together” event, Sony AI’s COO Michael Spranger explained the dynamics of the competition. As players progressed through the race rounds, the advantage of having a more powerful vehicle decreased as Sophy gained access to more capable vehicles. By September, Sophy had even mastered the skill of drifting.

Expanding Features
With the latest announcement, Sophy can now pilot a total of 340 vehicles across nine unique tracks, a significant increase from the four models available during the beta event. Players can now race against GT Sophy in 95% of the playable in-game models, with the CPU selecting its car based on the player’s chosen model to ensure a fair competition. The remaining 5% of models, such as hyper-spec specialty cars, are excluded from Sophy’s repertoire.

Conclusion
Players can engage with Sophy in Quick Race mode, regardless of their progression through the game or skill level, as long as they have a PS5, a network connection, and the latest update patch installed. Facing off against this formidable AI opponent promises to provide an exciting and challenging racing experience for players.