ⓘ sondesix – edited
Sony has clarified that the AI suggests “creative looks” rather than automatic edits.
Sony faces social media backlash and mockery over the Xperia 1 VIII’s AI Camera Assistant. Users on X are roasting the company by sharing overexposed “before and after” memes after the Japanese giant posted promotional images that appeared lower in quality than the originals. Sony has since clarified that the AI suggests “creative looks” rather than automatic edits.
Sony has released an official statement following the comical backlash to its recent Xperia 1 VIII AI Camera Assistant marketing campaign, where it clarified the functionality of its new feature:
“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.” – Sony
The controversy began when Sony’s official X account shared a series of “before and after” comparison shots meant to highlight the Xperia 1 VIII’s AI capabilities. In a bizarre twist, the original photos featured balanced exposure and natural shadows, while the AI-assisted versions appeared drastically overexposed, with blown-out highlights and washed-out colors.
The Xperia 1 VIII’s AI Camera Assistant has turned into a meme.
The Xperia 1 VIII comedy roast: Social media users “thank” Sony with sarcastic “AI Camera Assitant” photo edits
The tech community’s reaction on X was swift and merciless, while Nothing CEO Carl Pei joined the fray by reposting the samples with a question, asking if this was simply “engagement farming.”
Rather than simply criticizing the results, X users have turned the situation into a full-blown meme, and a trend has emerged where phone users share their own “before and after” photos, purposefully editing the “after” shots to look like a nuclear flash just went off.
- One user posted a photo of purple flowers where the “edited” version is a blank white square, effectively “improving” the image into non-existence.
- Another shared a portrait comparison where the AI version is so bright the subject’s features vanish into the background.
- The common thread across these posts includes captions like “thank you, Sony”
- Meanwhile, many tech content creators are genuinely puzzled, reposting the photos and asking if they are real
The common thread across these posts includes captions like “Thank you, Sony”.
A blunder or accidental marketing miracle?
The memes aside, Sony’s follow-up explanation clarifies that the AI isn’t an “auto-editor” but a suggestion engine for creative looks, and by offering four different directions, Sony argues they are giving users more creative control rather than a single “correct” photo.
Whether this is a technical glitch in the marketing department’s image selection or a calculated move to generate engagement, the Xperia 1 VIII might be the most talked-about phone of the week, though perhaps not for the reasons Sony intended.
The original post/photos that started it all.
Martin Filipov – Tech Writer – 136 articles published on Notebookcheck since 2026
Martin is a professional smartphone nerd since he got his first “real” smartphone, the Galaxy Young. Although Martin is getting older, his enthusiasm and analytical eye for a phone spec sheet is holding up nicely.
AI has already stolen several of Martin’s jobs. But don’t worry! He took revenge by switching back to a dumb toothbrush – the kind you have to swing back and forth until your teeth are clean.
Martin started writing about tech in 2021, hitting “publish” on nearly 800 feature articles in four years. Possibly a Guinness world record. Or at least a Heineken.