Sony’s new AI camera feature is now a meme: Is the backlash the point?

Artificial intelligence has notoriously struggled with creating images, writing out gibberish on signs, or adding extra fingers to people. But it seems it’s not much help for photography either—and the internet is having a field day over it.

The official X account for the Sony Xperia smartphone shared examples from its new “AI Camera Assistant” tool, which offers lens, exposure, and color suggestions for users.

While it’s a decent idea in theory, the images shared by the post revealed otherwise.

The X post included a series of before-and-after examples, with the tool appearing to create a comedically overexposed effect.

In one of the images, a picture of a person in a field is turned from one with depth and contrast into an overly bright photograph.

Another before-and-after combo featured a close-up of a sandwich, with the “after” version reducing the contrast to the point that the image appears to be without depth.

But while someone clearly thought the images were good enough to post online, the X post quickly backfired, turning its comment section into a flurry of criticisms and mockery, with many posting their own satirical before-and-afters.

“If this is intelligence, I’d prefer my phone dumb,” a user said on X. Another added: “This is one way to completely destroy photography.”

Is the backlash the point?

On Reddit, the announcement has also gained traction. “I first thought this was a joke,” one user said. “Who sat there at Sony and thought that these pics would be great promo material?!”

The bad quality of the images has led several users to be skeptical of the post’s intention, with some wondering if its obvious flaws might have been shared for rage-bait, a practice becoming increasingly common among brands online.

Carlos Pei, CEO of the consumer tech company Nothing, was among those who seemed suspicious. “This must be engagement farming?” Pei said on X.

Another user added: “That’s exactly what it is. Look at how many people are talking about Sony because of this. Right when they release a new flagship camera and phone. They make some of the best cameras on the planet. They know what a good photo looks like and doesn’t look like.”

Fast Company reached out to Sony for comment.

The images have indeed gained much attention, with the original post garnering over 11 million views and over 3,000 comments. A little over a day later, the company returned to social media to share a clarification on the post as a response to the backlash.

“Following the post about AI Camera Assistant, we’d like to explain the feature in more detail. It doesn’t edit photos after shooting—it suggests 4 settings in different creative directions based on the scene and subject. You can choose any option or use your own settings,” the post says.

Still, with replies continuing to plague Sony’s comment section as of Friday, the consensus seems to be that the mockery will continue. “[Too] late,” one commenter wrote. “The meme train can’t be stopped.”

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