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Technology is developing at a faster rate than ever before, and one technology transforming almost every industry is artificial intelligence (AI). It’s an innovation that has become a point of contention, with tech experts like Elon Musk weighing in on its impact and warning against developing an overreliance on it. Although this subject is still up for debate and the impact of AI remains to be seen, there is plenty about this technology that is promising, especially in the gaming space.
Gaming has undergone many shifts as technology has advanced. Imagine telling someone they’d be able to play casino games on a computer or smartphone back in the ’80s. Now, with online casinos popping up and investing in mobile gaming, people can truly play on the go. Players can now access Royal Panda from a variety of smartphones and tablets. Of course, the innovation goes far beyond mobile gaming. Let’s take a closer look at how generative AI in particular is set to usher in a new era of gaming.
What is generative AI?
Generative AI is a branch of AI that focuses on autonomous content generation. It involves developers training models to learn patterns from existing data to generate new content.
How is it being used in game development?
Game development relies on manual processes that require designers, artists or coders to spend countless hours creating game assets. This encompasses everything from sounds and animations to characters. While this approach undeniably produces visually stunning games, it comes at great cost in terms of time and resources.
Generative AI could help speed up the process of asset creation through automation, creating first drafts that can be refined instead of starting from scratch. Reducing the manual effort required by game developers will free up more time to focus on the creative and strategic aspects of game design.
It could also enable the creation of dynamic game environments by using AI algorithms to generate new cities and landscapes. This will ensure players never run out of new worlds to explore and remain engaged. Game developers hope AI will get to a point where it can adapt the game environment to match players’ decisions, providing highly personalized gaming experiences that keep players on their toes. After all, no one wants to keep playing a game that’s too predictable.
Generative AI will eventually be able to tailor gameplay and narratives based on individual preferences and behaviors. AI algorithms can predict and adapt to an individual’s playing style by analyzing their behavior and generating unique challenges or storylines that will resonate with the player.
How does this benefit game developers?
This emerging technology speaks for itself when you fully understand what it is capable of doing and just how powerful it can be when applied correctly. It offers game developers several benefits that we’ve already touched on:
– Developers can save significant time when using AI to generate assets and worlds. This results in quicker game development cycles, which opens up opportunities for more frequent updates.
– Developers can explore new ideas and take creative risks that may not have been possible in a traditional development environment. This helps foster innovation and ensures developers continue to offer updates that feel fresh and exciting.
– Developers can create large-scale games with rich narratives because AI-generated content is easily replicated and adjusted. This creates new opportunities for indie developers to tackle ambitious projects that may have otherwise never come to light.
What challenges does it present?
Generative AI isn’t without its challenges and concerns, despite holding tremendous potential. One of the primary concerns is the ethical implications.
There is a risk that AI could create inappropriate or harmful material if content is generated autonomously and not moderated by humans. AI lacks a human common-sense filter or moral compass, which means it could potentially generate dangerous content.
Moreover, AI is famously unreliable. If you’ve ever tried to write a college essay using ChatGPT, you were probably left scratching your head wondering where it found all its information because it sometimes makes ridiculous claims, like stating Napoleon was native to Alaska. On top of that, AI can also be very repetitive. So, while developers may be hoping for it to generate unique and creative storylines and assets every time, sometimes the output of AI is going to be way below acceptable standards.
The takeaway
Generative AI is set to shake up the gaming industry by opening up a brand-new era of game development. Developers will, however, need to be cognizant of generative AI’s weaknesses and put robust systems in place to avoid generating content that is harmful, irrelevant or subpar.