CES 2024: Sony & Microsoft Unite for Afeela EV's AI Assistant

At CES 2024, in a surprising move, traditional gaming rivals Sony and Microsoft announced a partnership. Microsoft will provide the AI assistant technology for Afeela EV, a collaborative venture between Sony and Honda. Initially presented as a concept at CES 2020, the Sony electric car evolved through a partnership with Honda, forming Sony Honda Mobility. The result: the Afeela EV.

This announcement follows Volkswagen's integration of ChatGPT and other AI interactions into its infotainment systems. Interestingly, ChatGPT by OpenAI and Microsoft's Co-Pilot share a common foundation. Microsoft's Azure cloud platform underpins ChatGPT, with Co-Pilot being powered by GPT-4. Notably, Microsoft holds a significant, albeit non-controlling, stake in OpenAI.

AI dominated CES 2024, marking the advent of AI-enhanced PCs. Microsoft's integration of Co-Pilot across Windows and the addition of a dedicated keyboard button exemplify this trend. Furthermore, Intel's latest Meteor Lake processors feature NPUs to support AI workloads.

Despite recent tensions over Microsoft's acquisition of Activision Blizzard, Sony has historically collaborated with Microsoft, using Azure for PlayStation cloud services. Microsoft's Jessica Hawk highlighted on the CES stage that Microsoft's AI will bolster safety, with Azure accelerating Sony Honda Mobility's growth.

Details about the Afeela's AI assistant remain sparse. However, Afeela's prominence at CES was evident, with Sony Honda Mobility CEO Izumi Kawanishi demonstrating a PS5 controller-driven entry of the Afeela onto the stage – a feature exclusive to the demo. Additionally, Sony announced the incorporation of the Afeela EV into the award-winning Gran Turismo for PlayStation 5. In a separate PS5 update, Sony revealed sales exceeding 50 million units since its 2020 launch.