Sony Xperia 1 VIII AI Camera Assistant images are so bad people think they were mislabeled

Sony’s Xperia 1 VIII sparked backlash after AI Camera Assistant sample images looked more overexposed and less natural than the originals.

Critics, including Nothing CEO Carl Pei, mocked the comparison and questioned whether the photos were mislabeled.

Sony later said the feature offers multiple enhancement options and can be turned off.

The episode raises concerns that AI photo tools can hurt trust if they make flagship camera results look worse.