In its 2025 corporate report, Sony Entertainment Group has revealed a major push to integrate artificial intelligence across its content production pipeline.
They also plan to make new anime, video games, and creative tasks utilizing AI tools. By leveraging machine-learning tools, the company aims to reduce manual work, accelerate production timelines, and enable creative teams to focus on innovation.
AI Tools Streamline Production Workflows
The company confirmed that AI and machine-learning tools are already in use for several key functions:
- Automated Lip-Sync Engine: First introduced in 2021, this technology analyzes phonemes and timing from voice data to streamline and enhance the accuracy of lip-syncing for dubbed audio in anime.
- Voice Recognition for Subtitling: During the development of Marvel’s Spider-Man 2, Sony utilized voice recognition software to automate subtitling in multiple languages, significantly reducing the time required for localization.
- Enterprise Large Language Model (LLM): Sony’s internal generative AI system has been deployed across over 200 affiliated organizations to boost overall productivity and streamline tasks.
- Motion Capture Assistance: Technologies like Mocopi assist with motion capture, speeding up animation and improving its accuracy, as seen in the production of the popular anime Solo Leveling.
- In-Between Animation: The use of AI to generate in-between frames for animation is a growing trend, as demonstrated by other Japanese studios like Frontier Works, which used AI to finalize the majority of its cuts for the anime Twins Hinahima.
Balancing Efficiency and Creativity
While the integration of AI has drawn debate and concern, Sony emphasizes that its AI is intended to support, not replace, human creators. The company frames these technologies as assistants designed to handle repetitive tasks, freeing up human teams to focus on artistry and innovation.
The approach aligns with a broader trend in Japanese animation. It is where studios are increasingly using generative AI to assist animators with tasks like coloring and clean-ups, addressing issues of tight deadlines and high production demands.
Looking to the Future of Content
Anime remains a core component of Sony’s entertainment strategy. The company’s subsidiary, Aniplex, has played a key role in co-producing successful titles like Solo Leveling. In a further commitment to the medium, Sony is planning a Ghost of Tsushima anime adaptation for 2027.
The future of creative production will likely involve an evolving balance between human artistry and machine-assisted efficiency.