This must be engagement farming: Nothing CEO pokes fun at Sony for 'awful' Xperia 1 VIII social post showing its AI Camera Assistant tool making photos look worse

Date:
Fri, 15 May 2026 09:47:55 +0000

Description:
Sony's AI Camera Assistant has delivered some truly terrible results in an official post.

FULL STORY ======================================================================Copy link Facebook X Whatsapp Reddit Pinterest Flipboard Threads Email Share this article 0 Join the conversation Follow us Add us as a preferred source on Google Newsletter Subscribe to our newsletter Sony has posted an advert for the Xperia 1 VIII's AI Camera Assistant tool But all the images using this feature look worse than the 'before' shots It's unclear how this could have happened without Sony realizing AI is a controversial tool, but even those against the technology would probably admit that it has some utility. One
such use case is to improve photos, but Sony s recent attempt to advertise AI's skills in this area has very much backfired.

You see, the Sony Xperia 1 VIII has just launched with an AI Camera Assistant tool, which, on paper, sounds promising. It can make suggestions about settings you might want to change, such as exposure, bokeh, and color, based on what youre pointing the viewfinder at, in order to get the best version of a photo. Except, its suggestions are seemingly absolutely terrible. In a post on X, the official Sony Xperia account has shown some before and after photos aimed at advertising the capabilities of this tool, but the improved shots basically just seem to be overexposed to ludicrous levels, washing out colors and details, and leaving the photos looking pale and unnatural. Latest Videos From You may like Sony Xperia 1 VIII launches with a new design and AI camera features How to use AI to make your photos look instantly better Microsoft hands 'Microslop' pushers more ammo with new Copilot AI blunders The new AI Camera Assistant* with Xperia Intelligence brings stories to life. Using subject, scene and weather, it suggests expressive options with adjustments
of colour, exposure, bokeh, and lens for breathtaking photos*.https://t.co/zgSQ9MLWFP#SonyXperia #Xperia1VIII pic.twitter.com/1dsBeCNvhE May 14, 2026 An accident or an intentional gamble? An example of Sony's AI Camera Assistant tool in action, as provided by Sony itself (Image credit: Sony) Even if the feature really is this bad, its bizarre that Sony would highlight its failings like this, so theres some debate online about whats going on. Nothings CEO Carl Pei even weighed in, suggesting this must be engagement farming?? But if it is, its quite the gamble given just how terrible this makes the feature look.

Other replies have described the results as awful and noted that all the originals look better, with one poster saying, If this is intelligence, I'd prefer my phone dumb. Another simply asks, Is this satire?

The response is almost universally negative, and it seems hard to believe
that Sony didnt realize the adjusted photos look worse. But its also hard to imagine the company would intentionally post bad images for engagement.

Perhaps, then, the before and after shots have accidentally been mislabeled, but the post has been up for quite a while now, so youd think it would have been taken down if that was the case. Get daily insight, inspiration and
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Well be interested to give the AI Camera Assistant feature a try for
ourselves when we get our hands on the Sony Xperia 1 VIII, but for now, based on Sonys own images, it looks like something you might want to steer well clear of. Today's best Sony Xperia phone deals Sony Xperia 1 VII 1,192.78 1,144.94 View See all prices Sony Xperia 5 V 799 View See all prices We check over 250 million products every day for the best prices Follow TechRadar on Google News and add us as a preferred source to get our expert news, reviews, and opinion in your feeds. Make sure to click the Follow button!

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Link to news story: https://www.techradar.com/phones/sony-xperia-phones/this-must-be-engagement-fa rming-nothing-ceo-pokes-fun-at-sony-for-awful-xperia-1-viii-social-post-showin g-its-ai-camera-assistant-tool-making-photos-look-worse


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