Sony has developed an advanced AI-powered ping-pong robot, named Ace, which is now capable of competing against and occasionally defeating top-ranked human table tennis players under official International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) rules.
The robot, created by Sony’s AI division, uses a combination of 12 cameras and a sophisticated motion system to track and respond to the high-speed movement and spin of the ball. Unlike earlier table tennis robots designed mainly for training or exhibition matches, Ace is engineered to match the skill level of elite human athletes.
Ace operates through a complex robotic structure with multiple joints controlling paddle positioning, orientation, and striking power. Its vision system includes multiple cameras placed around the court to calculate the ball’s position in three-dimensional space, as well as specialised tracking systems that analyse speed, angle, and spin to predict its trajectory in real time.
According to a study published in the journal Nature, Sony reported that during test matches in April 2025, Ace won three out of five games against highly experienced players with over a decade of training. It also lost two matches against professional league competitors. The company further stated that by December 2025 and again in early 2026, the robot had managed to defeat professional players in controlled matches.
The development highlights significant progress in combining artificial intelligence with physical sports performance, an area long considered more challenging than board games such as chess or Go due to the need for real-time physical precision and reaction speed.
