Sony Interactive Entertainment has recently filed a patent for a novel artificial intelligence system that has quickly drawn attention in gaming news and it has even approved by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO). It's called "Ghost Player" which is an AI-powered feature that would allow AI to assist players during active gameplay when they are struggling or stuck on a challenging section of a game. This patent was officially submitted in September 2024 and revealed publicly in early 2026.
Sony's patented AI would act as a dynamic in-game agent, it appears as a ghost version of the player's character or another customizable figure. That AI could either demonstrate what the player should do next or at higher assistance levels or take direct control of the game to complete parts of puzzle autonomously. According to the patent language, this system is an evolution of the existing PlayStation Game Help feature on PS5, which currently provides tips, text hints, or video snapshots.
This Ghost Player feature concept goes further by generating real-time contextual assistance based on the player's exact situation. To do this, Sony's AI would need to be trained on actual gameplay data even including footage from community sources like YouTube, Twitch, and telemetry from PlayStation Network. Crucially, this patent does not confirm that the feature will appear in any specific PlayStation console (PS5, PS6, or future systems), nor that Sony intends to roll it out in all games.
Ghost Player can do:
It can provide context-specific gameplay assistance, means the AI can analyze the player’s current state in the game and offer tailored help rather than generic tips. It can even show visual demonstrations on how to solve puzzles, beat enemies, or navigate levels during the gameplay. It also delivers multiple "modes" of assistance, such as Guide Mode, Combat Mode, Exploration Mode, and Full Game Mode, depending on how much help the player wants help from an AI. In higher-level modes, the AI could take over playing parts of the game like completing tasks autonomously if the player opts in.
Ghost Player cannot do:
It won’t automatically take over gameplay unless the player chooses as it is designed to be optional with toggles to control how much assistance is used. It doesn't guarantee full game completion for every title; rather, it could assist or complete segments if implemented and if permitted by developers. The patent does not specify how player progression, trophies, or achievements would interact with AI-assisted play.
The reason behind this planning of implementation of 'Ghost Player' is that Modern AAA titles often feature deep systems, difficult combat, and even more complex puzzles. Many players — especially those who are new to gaming or with accessibility needs, can become frustrated, quit, or rely on external guides. However, Sony's patent acknowledges that researching solutions externally as searching web guides or watching videos is time-consuming and often irrelevant to a player's exact in-game context.
PlayStation already offers Game Help on PS5, which surfaces hints and clips inside games. The Ghost Player idea appears to be a natural next evolution. AI game assistance tools could dramatically improve accessibility for players with disabilities or limitations that make traditional gameplay difficult.
What's still unconfirmed is that there's no official launch date for this Ai feature, there are no currently proper implementation details. There are no details of player control and settings and Sony hasn't clarified whether AI-assisted progress would count toward official PlayStation goals. It is also not clear whether this idea will be exclusive to PlayStation, licensed to developers, or adopted by other platforms.
What do you guys think of this recent new AI Powered Feature "Ghost Player"? Will you take the help of this feature during the gameplay or will you deal with all the puzzles alone when the time comes? Let us know your answers in the comments.