We have all seen games that lean on past data, haven't we? Think of ghost cars in racing titles or fighting game AI that mimics your rival's style. But Sony’s latest patent, which surfaced back in July, suggests something far more transactional: paying hard cash to harness another player’s skill set.

Filed by Sony Interactive Entertainment and published on the USPTO website on July 23, this patent outlines a system where machine learning constructs an AI agent tailored to your own playstyle. The idea is to let the bot handle the chores—grinding for gold, ticking off story quests, or power-leveling—leaving you to swoop in only for the juicy bits, like the climactic boss encounters.

Things get a bit more experimental when you start blending data. You could, for instance, mix three different players' data at a 40:40:20 ratio, or perhaps blend your own style at 50% with others. Whether you pick these partners manually or let the automated matching system find them—using your login habits, genre preferences, trophy history, and social connections—the system is designed to identify players who align with your needs.

The most eyebrow-raising part? The inclusion of a monetisation model. The patent suggests that if you want to use the data of a top-tier gamer to power your agent, you might need to purchase that data. While the fine print on revenue splits remains a mystery, one can easily imagine Sony striking partnerships with pro players or high-profile streamers to make this a reality.

The documentation even floats ideas about subscription-based caps on agent usage, or perhaps letting you 'rent out' your own AI agent to the masses. There is also talk of leaderboards based on how often your agent is utilised, or tying the whole thing into the trophy system. It remains to be seen if this will ever leave the drawing board, but it is certainly a concept to keep an eye on.