Sony AI builds the first robot to reach expert level in a sport

Sony's table tennis robot "Ace" is the first robot to reach expert-level performance in a sport, according to the company. In matches played under the official rules of the International Table Tennis Federation in April 2025, Ace beat three out of five elite-level players but lost to professional players. As of December 2025, Ace is winning against pros, too.

The robot uses nine cameras, three vision systems, and AI-powered controls to track the ball and its spin faster than the human eye can. Professional player Mayuka Taira said the robot is hard to read because it shows no emotion. According to project lead Peter Dürr of Sony AI Zurich, the underlying technology could also be applied in manufacturing and service robotics.

Table tennis expert Kinjiro Nakamura, who competed in the 1992 Olympics, said after watching one of Ace's shots that he wouldn't have thought the shot was possible - but if a robot can pull it off, maybe humans can, too.