Sony’s $1,850 Xperia 1 VIII AI Camera Assistant Misfires, Triggering Overheating
Updated
Updated · The Verge · Jun 23
Sony’s $1,850 Xperia 1 VIII AI Camera Assistant Misfires, Triggering Overheating
1 articles · Updated · The Verge · Jun 23
Summary
A week of testing found Sony’s AI Camera Assistant rarely improved photos on the Xperia 1 VIII, with only one or two shots arguably better than the originals.
Most suggestions were aggressive tweaks to exposure, white balance, contrast or bokeh, often producing murky, blown-out, sepia-toned or oversaturated images instead of useful scene-specific guidance.
The feature also appeared inconsistent—missing on the selfie camera and often absent in common scenes—despite Sony’s claims it could suggest lens swaps or more photogenic angles.
Performance suffered as the assistant ran before capture: the camera app opened slowly, froze during lens changes or shots, and crashed once, while disabling the feature eased overheating and lag.
That weakness stands out because the Xperia 1 VIII’s underlying camera hardware is otherwise strong, with three large rear sensors and image quality the review called Sony’s best yet.