Sony created the world’s first Entertainment Robot, aibo, back in 1999. “We have since accumulated and cultivated our knowledge of AI and Robotics through production of many concepts and products”, says Yutaka Hasegawa, Vice President, Sony Corporation – Head of Sony Design, talking about Affinity in Autonomy, the company’s exhibition at the Milan Design Week 2019, which is composed of five different but contiguous spaces. Each one represents a different interaction and a new relationship between human and machine, from the awakening of the intelligence to real-time emotions.
“We envision a world in which intelligence and technology are more integrated into our lifestyles – this is not too far into the future”, Mr Yutaka Hasegawa explains: “Our belief is that the relationship between humans and technology will evolve, through the deepening of our understanding of the intelligence and its ability to display feelings. ‘Affinity in Autonomy’ represents our thoughts on the future of AI x Robotics”.   

You are back in Spazio Zegna. Is this the only common point with last year’s exhibition?
Both installations are to challenge the constraints and preconceptions between technology and human behaviour, but the expression of technology differs. The technology through last year’s Hidden Senses was to support you subtly in your daily lives – interacting with familiar objects in a contextual space. For this year, the theme is AI and Robotics. Through each interaction, you can experience ‘Affinity in Autonomy’ and a new relationship with robotics.

What are Sony’s values that will be involved in this exhibition and how does it reflect the present and future of the brand?
From a design perspective, Sony Design translates innovation into experiences, visualizing an entertaining and enriched lifestyle for a new tomorrow. With an emphasis on providing such experiences, we portray emotion, sensitivity and convenience by revealing previously unseen conceptual prototypes. Through audience engagement, encouragement and feedback, Sony Design can maintain the quest for a more ‘heartfelt future’. This value will always be at the core of designing.

Sony Design’s Instagram account debuts with this exhibition.
We see Instagram as one communication tool fit for the creative audience visiting Milan Design Week. This is our first trial in which we will review and study after the exhibition.

Tech companies are more and more involved in digital services. PlayStation Now, your cloud gaming subscription platform, was recently launched in Italy. Is this a good example of Sony’s future?Generally speaking, the borders in various fields are becoming blurry, so we believe that it is not solely about tech companies. As an in-house design team, we take a holistic approach. Hardware is a very important touch point and service to provide our customer not only just convenience but an emotional experience. 

Milano Design Week has become a huge global event. Do you think that the exhibition’s intellectual effort will be acknowledged, and not become just a cool place to take one more selfie for Instagram from Milan?
Sony Design is engaged in a variety of day-to-day efforts to realize a more plentiful, comfortable lifestyle for our customers, and to create new experiences through the fusion of design and technology. We are planning to release the details of previously unpublicized projects. This is because advancements in technology have allowed us to create working prototypes, through which we can get customer feedback (as a part of our Perceptual Experience Project). Milan Design Week is one of the largest design exhibitions where the creative community gather and thought it would be apt in getting feedbacks.

Will robotics and AI have a large involvement in design in the next few years?
We do not know how far out in the future it will be, but we envision a world in which intelligence and technology are more integrated into our lifestyles. As for design, I believe it will support us to enhance creativity.

Aibo has evolved a lot since 1999. What’s his role in the exhibition?The latest iteration of aibo is able to display emotion and show learning, thanks to our increased knowledge of artificial intelligence, sensing and robotics technology. As it is able to evolve via interaction with its owner, the emotions and behaviours of aibo will learn, grow and develop as a real companion after spending time together. In Milan, aibo will be displayed differently from the actual product. Interact with the dog shaped robotic, and the robotics will feed you back with his/her emotions graphically in real time.

Robots talk, react to us and even display emotions. Do we have to be scared of AI?
No, and we hope visitors will feel enriched future life with AI and robotics. In May 2017, Sony became the first Japanese company to join the Partnership on AI to Benefit People and Society, and recently, formulated the Sony Group AI Ethics Guidelines. Sony aims to contribute to support each individual to empower their lives and assure safety and privacy protection when dealing with AI product and services.