Sony AI’s table tennis robot Ace has achieved a milestone by competing against elite human players in real matches and winning several games.

The robot, developed by Sony AI, secured victories in three out of five matches but lost both against top professional opponents.

It demonstrated advanced abilities such as reading spin, reacting to net shots, and adapting strategies through thousands of hours of simulation training.

Researchers say Ace uses multi-camera tracking and a robotic arm system to respond at speeds comparable to human reflexes, though it still struggles with simpler, low-spin plays, The Guardian has reported.

Experts describe the breakthrough as an important step for robotics, while noting that broader real-world applications still require further development.