Ace is an AI-driven robot equipped with 12 cameras to challenge top table tennis players. Previously, various ping-pong robots were created, like Omron’s FOREPHUS, which played against amateurs at CES 2017. Unlike its predecessors, Ace, developed by Sony’s AI division, can compete with top human players and sometimes win, following the International Table Tennis Federation rules. While AI has excelled in games like Chess and Go, physical sports require robots to match human speed and agility. To excel in table tennis, Sony designed Ace with eight joints for precise paddle control and strength, aided by nine cameras and three “gaze control systems” for accurate ball tracking. A study published in Nature revealed that Ace won three out of five matches against elite players in April 2025, later defeating professionals, with more victories reported in December 2025 and April 2026.
Watch Sony’s Elite Ping-Pong Robot Defeat Top-Ranked Players
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