Key Takeaways
- EA announced new AI technology being developed during their Investor Day presentation.
- New experiments seem to both use AI in typical game systems but separately try something entirely new.
- EA’s Project Air shows a mix between social media and gameplay, re-raising the question about AI in gaming.
As a seasoned gamer with decades of experience under my belt, I must admit that EA’s recent AI-focused announcements have left me both intrigued and apprehensive. On one hand, the prospect of having more immersive gaming experiences, such as creating custom maps or engaging in dynamic conversations with NPCs, is undeniably tantalizing. But on the other hand, I can’t help but feel a sense of unease about the potential for AI to displace human creativity and interaction within our beloved video games.
At the Electronic Arts Investor Day on the 17th of September, I got a glimpse into how AI tech is shaping up to be a major player in their upcoming projects, making gaming even more immersive and exciting for me as a gamer.
Artificial Intelligence isn’t just marketed as a means for future encounters, but it’s also seen as an untouched resource that companies aim to exploit for their benefit.
Contemplate the idea of employing AI to design a tailored map for games such as XDefiant, or even craft unique NPC dialogues based on user input in Mass Effect. Although these applications are still in the experimental stages, Electronic Arts (EA) has a strategic vision to leverage this technology to enhance user experiences.
To some, this emerging technological wonder signals future advancements, while for others, it represents a bold, flashing warning sign that could potentially strip humanity away from the artistic essence of video gaming.
Regardless, here are all the innovations EA has just announced and what we, as players, should expect.
EA’s Plans For Generative AI
At the start of this AI presentation, Mihir Vaidya encourages us to recall the origin of specialized online entertainment platforms like YouTube, which eventually flourished as a substantial business sector. Later, we learn that just as AI technology did for video entertainment, it could potentially open up an entirely new consumer market.
Despite some resistance, Electronic Arts (EA) CEO Andrew Wilson firmly believes that “artificial intelligence is fundamental to our operations,” and the company has been making significant strides in this area.
Vaidya showcases this technology in three key areas: fostering creativity among gamers during gameplay, developing characters that feel more realistic, and finally, blending the two experiences by allowing interaction within an artificial intelligence environment alongside your online companions.
The first use is when you tell a prompt what type of game you want to play, and the program instantly creates it in a sandbox like Fortnite’s creative mode.
Despite appearing rather basic in the display case, it has the potential to tap into a vast resource library from other EA games further down the line, offering players a plethora of creative opportunities.
In some independent games and as of 2023, introduced by NVIDIA, non-player characters (NPCs) have been equipped with artificial intelligence similar to ChatGPT, allowing them to engage in conversations with the players.
Finally, we’re introduced to a unique, integrated application known as Project Air. This project allows you to engage with and design artificial intelligence characters within a virtual mobile environment, which you can subsequently share and discuss with your peers.
It appears that this blend of social media and video games, as envisioned by EA, might seem unusual at present, given its uncertain fit within the current market landscape. However, if it evolves and adjusts effectively over time, there’s potential for it to carve out a niche for itself in the future.
Tip Of The Iceberg, Or Doomed Like Titanic
Although it’s acknowledged that the latest developments might not fully fit into today’s market, the term “tip of the iceberg” to describe these advancements could potentially be misleading.
As a fan who’s been on this journey since the ’90s, I can proudly say that we’ve tailored 3D levels and game modes specifically to foster creativity in our games, much like how Doom did it back then. And if you’re into AI-driven narratives, you’ll love AI Dungeon, a dynamic platform that’s been around since 2019, offering an immersive, AI-powered DND experience tailored just for you!
The latest technology may be the start of what’s to come. Yet, the first two examples of AI integration in gameplay and characters are really only deviations from gameplay elements that have already been seemingly perfected in other games, just with an AI twist.
Beyond this point, it may spark further discussion on the moral implications of AI deployment within the gaming and technology sector, particularly focusing on concerns such as whether it might lead to a loss of jobs and if the resulting products could potentially be of inferior quality.
EA’s Grand Solution
But here’s the deal: EA knows this, and their example of Project Air is their exact solution to making something untapped by anyone else and incapable of non-AI systems. But their elevator pitch of it being the new YouTube is just as hard to grasp.
It’s a bit pessimistic, but creating an entirely new market online is likely much more difficult than just implementing basic generative AI. We’ve previously seen projects like the Metaverse or Google Stadia try to create an innovative place within the entertainment market and not catch on.
In various games such as The Sims 4, Electronic Arts (EA) has begun incorporating AI functionalities, which may have positive or negative impacts. These integrations, though not necessarily headline-grabbing, serve as clear indicators of EA’s vision for the future of the gaming industry.
If the pitch presented by EA truly proves successful for the investors, we’ll need to observe the outcome closely.
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2024-09-18 16:08