Sony’s new flagship, Xperia 1 VIII, has become a hot topic in the technology world with its artificial intelligence-based camera features. However, this time the agenda is not about the hardware power of the phone, but about the oddities in the promotional images published by the company. The comparative images shared to introduce the “AI Camera Assistant” feature were criticized by users as “unnatural and of poor quality” and were subjected to a barrage of criticism on social media.

The incident grew so much that important names in the industry, including Nothing CEO Carl Pei, began to sarcastically criticize Sony’s marketing strategy.

• Artificial Intelligence Backfired:In the comparative photos shared by Sony, the artificial intelligence applied images appeared worse than the original (blown lights and low dynamic range), which sparked controversy.

• Harsh Criticism from Carl Pei:Nothing CEO Carl Pei questioned the authenticity of the images and asked if Sony shared such a post just to get interaction.

• Filter or Refinement?:Experts think that this feature may be a layer of creative filters similar to Apple’s “Photographic Styles” feature, rather than an image enhancement technology.

Does Artificial Intelligence Beautify or Destroy Photography?

Featured on Sony Xperia 1 VIII AI Camera AssistantIt promises to offer the user the best exposure, color and bokeh effect by automatically recognizing scenes, objects and weather conditions. However, it was confusing that the photos labeled “Original” in the official examples shared looked much more balanced and natural than the “AI Applied” photos.

Especially in landscape shots, in photographs where artificial intelligence comes into play, it is seen that the sky becomes white, details are lost and the contrast is artificially distorted. Social media users are making humorous posts about how Sony may have accidentally swapped the “before” and “after” text.

Carl Pei and the Reaction of the Technology World

The incident turned from a local controversy into a global crisis, the founder of the Nothing brand Carl PeiIt gained momentum with the sharing of . “Is this an engagement trap?” Pei asked, quoting Sony’s comparison image. He asked the question.

Following this post, thousands of users on

Many technology enthusiasts describe it as a “marketing disaster” for a company like Sony, a world giant in camera sensors, to promote artificial intelligence with such a low-quality image.

Could It Be a Technical Error?

According to industry analysis, Sony does not actually offer bad software, but it is making a big mistake in the way it describes it. AI Camera AssistantThe feature may be a mechanism that offers “style suggestions” that will increase the user’s creativity rather than a traditional optimization tool.

If this feature works with a “filter” logic, Sony’s aim was not to technically perfect the photo, but to create a certain atmosphere (for example, a brighter or dreamy look).

Despite this, when today’s smartphone users hear the word “Artificial Intelligence”, they expect the photo to look clearer, have a wider dynamic range and look more professional. The result Sony offers resembles a digital shot with glare, widening the gap between expectations and reality.

Hardware Still Strong, Software in Question

Xperia 1 VIII is actually a very ambitious device on the hardware side. The next-generation large telephoto sensor and manual control capabilities inherited from Sony’s Alpha series cameras are still appealing to professionals. However, presenting artificial intelligence features that appeal to the mainstream user base in this way harms the general perception of the device.

So far, Sony has not made an official statement on the issue and has not removed the controversial images. Users find the fact that this feature can be turned off at any time as their only source of consolation. It seems that the limits and aesthetic perception of artificial intelligence intervention in smartphones will be discussed for a long time with the Xperia 1 VIII.