In feat hailed as milestone in robotics, Sony AI’s Ace wins three out of five matches played under official rules
An AI-powered robot has beaten elite players at table tennis in a landmark achievement for a machine faced with a human athlete in a real-world competitive sport.
Named Ace, the robotic system developed by Sony AI, won three out of five matches against elite players, but lost the two it played against professionals, clawing back only one game in the seven contests.
The feat has been hailed as a milestone for robotics, a field that has long seen table tennis – and the lightning-fast reactions, perception and skill it demands – as one of the toughest tests of how far the technology has advanced.
In the matches, played under official competition rules, Ace displayed a mastery of spin, handled difficult shots, such as balls catching on the net, and pulled off one rapid backspin shot that a professional had thought impossible.
