Join the GamesBeat community in Los Angeles.

Artificial intelligence has been a fundamental part of games for decades. It’s neither a new nor revolutionary part of game development. However, generative AI is a new tool in developer’s arsenals. Proponents say GenAI has the capacity to revolutionize game development — but the technology also has fierce critics.

Typically AI is most commonly used in games to generate in-game behaviors in non-player characters (NPCs) or new environments in a procedurally-generated games (e.g., roguelikes). Generative AI, on the other hand, adds several new use cases for the technology from the earliest phases of a game’s development.

Generative AI is rising in popularity, thanks in large part to tools like ChatGPT, Midjourney and others. The games industry is no exception, as generative AI tools have begun to integrate into game development and the creation of user-generated content.

EVENT
GamesBeat Summit 2023

Join the GamesBeat community in Los Angeles this May 22-23. You’ll hear from the brightest minds within the gaming industry to share their updates on the latest developments.

Register Here
ADVERTISEMENT
Generative AI’s creep into game development
One way developers are already incorporating AI into their development process is to generate art and assets. Generative AI trained with a handful of images can produce a significant number of similar pieces faster than a human could. Additionally, tools such as DALL-E 2 and ChatGPT can be used to by game writers to craft original stories, expand upon core ideas or generate in-game text.Some developers are also utilizing AI in character creation. Ready Player Me, a metaverse avatar creation platform, recently launched a trial of its generative AI creator. Players can use AI to create their own in-game clothing.

According to RPM CEO Timmu Tõke, the point of using the AI is to give players more involvement in their avatar’s look. He told GamesBeat, “Generative AI will definitely change how 3D content is created and avatars are created. We are aiming to be at the forefront of that and understand how things are changing and then change ourselves with that.”

Other developers have used generative AI to improve on more “traditional” in-game artificial intelligence. For example, Inworld AI plans to use the tech to give NPCs in games more dialogue in response to what the player says to them. They’ve used this already to create a demo of a virtual Santa Claus who responds to children’s interactions with him.

ADVERTISEMENT
User (and AI) generated content
However, some of the biggest waves AI is making in game development aren’t just in the world of mainstream game development. As Dean Takahashi wrote recently, AI tools are becoming a staple in the creation of user-generated content (UGC). This type of content abounds in games such as Roblox and Minecraft, and the creators who used the technology have accrued acclaim and profits. Roblox is even rolling out its own genAI tools so users can build content for the game more easily.

ADVERTISEMENT