Sony clarifies how its Xperia AI Camera Assistant works after backlash

In short: Sony is trying to explain its AI Camera Assistant on the Xperia 1 XIII after people criticized the company’s sample photos.

What happened

Sony recently shared example photos meant to show off an “AI Camera Assistant” feature on its Xperia 1 XIII phone. The examples drew negative attention online, including criticism that the photos looked poor.

After that reaction, Sony posted more information about what the feature is supposed to do. Sony says the AI Camera Assistant does not directly edit your photo after you take it. Instead, it gives suggestions before you press the shutter, based on things like lighting (how bright the scene is), depth (how near or far things are), and the subject (what the camera is pointed at).

According to Sony, when you point the camera at something, the assistant shows four options. These options suggest changes to exposure (how bright the photo is), color, and background blur (making the background look softer so the subject stands out, like portrait mode).

Sony also says in a product video that the assistant can suggest “the most photogenic angle.” However, the example shown is a suggestion to zoom in, which is not the same as telling you to move the camera to a better angle.

The Verge noted that Sony’s newer examples were somewhat improved compared to earlier ones, but still looked worse than the original photo. The article describes issues like overly strong colors, a flat and over-processed look, and contrast turned up too high.

Why it matters

Many people rely on phone cameras for everyday memories. If a feature that promises helpful guidance gives bad suggestions, it can make photos look worse, not better, like a friend giving you the wrong recipe adjustments while you cook.

Source: The Verge AI