How AI Could Change Video Games Forever

While it's true that video games have almost always used some form of AI in the game's engine, the meaning of AI within gaming is beginning to shift in a major way. With tools like Ubisoft Ghostwriter, artificial intelligence is about to change the way games are developed. In this video, we'll discuss the potential positive impacts that AI will have when developers can implement the tools readily available. We'll also be taking a look at the disruptive harm AI tools can be when they become dangerously close to taking away creative and top-level design decisions away from humans.
Throughout the week of April 17th - 21st, IGN is having what we're dubbing "AI Week". All week long we'll be taking a look at the sudden burst of AI use in the games, tech, and entertainment industries while evaluating their impacts. Will AI change video games forever? Matt Kim delves into the trend that has taken over the games industry in 2023 as part of IGN AI Week.

[@user-zl8sm6ok2r]

The AI as in NPC behavior and the AI as in game development tools are two completely different things though. One is simple scripting, the other is actual neural network.

[@LordShrub]

Would be nice if game companies invested more in the former for more immersive games instead of the latter to cut costs.

[@KidArkx]

But you have to redo the script for each game. Meanwhile, once a framework is created, you could just apply the NPC ai to all of the npcs and then go in and make tweaks in order to give people certain personalities

[@Virakotxa]

They could have named dropped Black&White...or that Mount & Blade mod...

[@clearwater1231]

They should re work this video. They completely fumbled this one.

[@MikeStoneJapan]

this

[@Keyfram3d]

Dude doesn’t understand the difference between scripted NPCs and actual neural network ai.

[@patrickdanneker5480]

Exactly my thoughts

[@captainlockes2344]

AI is actually very broad term, which includes scripted NPCs to make it feel like the world is alive.

[@Keyfram3d]

@@captainlockes2344 no, it’s a word they used to use to describe NPCs, but that wasn’t actual ai. Current ai is muchhhh different.

[@captainlockes2344]

@@Keyfram3d All of these techniques fall under the umbrella term of AI. It’s just that generative AI is the latest advancement. You can’t say that something is not AI just because a new technique comes out that is better. This video is talking about all the AI techniques that have been used in the past and how new advancements in generative AI is taking it another step forward.

[@stompysnake8233]

No one really cares

[@walterellis2179]

Put simply, AI is an umbrella term for both pre-scripted rule-based decisions, and machine learning decisions. Games have always used the first one, but it took decades to develop hardware and algorithms capable of useful machine learning, e.g. self-driving cars, creating images, or winning at Dota 2 and Go. While ML in general continues to advance rapidly, a subset of machine learning types focusing on Natural Language Processing recently blew up because it turns out the more information you allow it to learn about, the more usefully it can "reason" to generate language-based output. This is what GPT is. For games, the past, present, and potential of AI should be understood with these distinctions in mind.

[@captainlockes2344]

This. People need to understand that AI is an umbrella term and that the latest advanced in generative AI is a subset of AI and not actually what defines AI.

[@MegaDman16]

Let's be real AI is going to kill a lot of jobs in the gaming industry.

[@gmka3920]

Not only gaming..

[@bluegizmo84100]

Somebody pointed this out in the context of medicine and said it's not going to be AI replacing doctors, but doctors that use AI will replace doctors that don't. I imagine something similar will happen here.

[@dominicbendinelli4805]

In all industries

[@donatellobarkey580]

Lets hope not all

[@Keyfram3d]

@@bluegizmo84100 yes but it will take less people to output the same amount of work, meaning less jobs.

[@Hexlaw111]

Imagine having full random conversations with npcs in games cause the ai is so advanced

[@johnt.4550]

And to be able to chat with them through the mic...

[@johnt.4550]

You can't hurt me, I'm not from your world! My body is just a puppet of a being in another dimension!

[@caesar7723]

Already possible in Skyrim with mods. It takes like 2 seconds before they respond, but that will only get quicker in time. At some point we will have normal conversations in-game.

[@jakeecake]

a correction and note, no mans sky and other games that generate level content for the most part use procedural generation, not machine learning. Machine learning is the tech that powers ChatGPT and other advanced AI through data sets, while most procedural generation tech uses tuning by the designers and does not use any data sets for its generation.

[@SkeletorTclaws]

The new buzzword is AI. The marketers rush to rebrand anything and everything as AI.

[@keanuxu5435]

But does it have… Blockchains, NFTs, or blast processing?

[@fantomraja9137]

exactly.

[@mmmmmmmmmmm10]

​@@keanuxu5435 wait till theres blockchain ai, AI nfts, blast processing with 32 bit megaram

[@TheStarSquid]

The fact you see AI as just some buzzword and not an actual field of science really shows how little you actually know about the tech

[@captainlockes2344]

Well video games have always had AI in them, but people just weren’t that impressed because they were mostly rule-based. But with advancement in generative AI, it’s becoming a big deal in gaming now.

[@HamadaKindnesss]

Cant wait for AI to deliver us finished games back again.

[@dragondelsur5156]

Except it won't and games will look godawful.

[@hadinterest]

Stop being dramatic

[@MarioRoggeroE]

@@dragondelsur5156 sorry what we have now, complete and amazing game? Doesn't seem so...

[@dragondelsur5156]

@@MarioRoggeroE Go back to your echo chamber

[@bazookaman1353]

​@@dragondelsur5156 "look godawful" you haven't kept pace with the latest AI image news haven't you?

[@caffedinator5584]

IGN is conflating procedural generation, decision tree graphs/FSMs, machine learning and large language models

[@KevinSheppard]

Max has a solid take.

[@jasonshere]

Yeah, he's usually a bit more real than the rest.

[@jasonshere]

You need someone with at least an above average understanding of "AI" to audit and edit your "AI" videos during your "AI" week, IGN.

[@morte1176]

or at least whatch a video on youtube on what is AI, this vidoe in embarassing

[@patrickdanneker5480]

IGN totally not getting it

[@nak3dxsnake]

Anyone else starting to feel like Blade Runner will be our reality soon.

[@soniromanov]

Very soon, it's almost here... aaaaaaaaaaaaand nope. We are lightyears away from Blade Runner.

[@morte1176]

literally 90% of what he says is wrong or nonsensical. The recent hype for "AI" is for technology based on "neural networks" not on "enemy AI" that in videogames denotes the set of manually coeded rules a entety obey to simulate intelligence.

[@TheFirstRealChewy]

It's going to be great for gaming. Instead spending years just creating the world, the world can be created in a month. The rest of the time can be spent creating meaningful content in the world. This way you get large and dense worlds.

[@icedancer2370]

You mean more time can be spent perfecting how to extract more money from you through microtransactions😂

[@hherpdderp]

How did you come up a month timelime?

[@skydmcsky]

Everything is AI now...got it

[@vgman94]

Video game devs are next to lose jobs to ChatGPT. Using AI to code a level, or even create visuals and voices is going to take thousands of jobs in this sector.

[@7PlayingWithFire7]

That's all of their intentions. Capitalism is about infinite growth. Once you run out of new customers to sell to, move on to milk more money from your current customers, then cutting wages, benefits, and finally jobs. The future is either slave labor or A.I

[@rojaynazir1668]

Not at all. It will only make our games bigger and richer. Game devs will have more time to focus on polishing the games.

[@Anonymous-st3gy]

​@@rojaynazir1668in the beginning yes

[@_Cetarial]

Yes, and?

[@MrGreatDane2]

@@rojaynazir1668 So tell me this then, when AI can perform voice acting on a professional level, what work do voice actors have left to do?

[@skle2300]

Can you imagine more advanced AI NPC behavior in 'Detroit Become Human"?

[@Elibbb-sx3kg]

Maybe with AI, we will get competitive enemies that actually fight you

[@indraft7812]

Well the thing about AI is that is learns with you (the player) and AI can already do things better than majority of people, so challenging? Definitely yes.

[@faresfares-ultra]

hello neighbor 2 ai kinda does that

[@kalisticmodiani2613]

maybe for Mobas where you are evenly matched against human players and only care about the outcome of one match (and are fine restarting from zero). The AI would still have to hold their punches for most players though.

[@achirasilva2567]

Even with the current non genrative scripted AIs can play any game perfectly and beat you everytime, the developers just don't do it because no one will like a game that is unbeatable.

[@harry1178]

IGN is gonna be replaced by AI lmao 😂

[@dragondelsur5156]

Assuming they haven't been years ago by now.

[@MunjiGames]

This is a very broad definition of "ai." AI that people are excited about today are transform and generative ai, which are a function beyond "ai" like procedural levels and npc actions. It's starting to show up in game dev tools but not yet in game.

[@tamphex]

2:58 No one on this planet who is a human being has ever pulled that face to show anger.

[@joaocardoletto]

Companies using a new technology to reduce overwork? That is the opposite of what usually happens. New technologies are used to pile up more responsibilities and decisions on the plate of the minimal staff necessary, keeping the same old salary. You don’t like it? There is a line of people outside fighting for the few jobs not yet automatized.

[@trench01]

There is a book called ‘The Kleroterion: Would You Trust Your Future to AI?’: Story about AI, that decides who will be elected officials based on an ancient Greek model and the challenges about it.

[@Iamwolf134]

If AI lets certain game developers take on more ambitious projects on a comparably tight budget...

[@nothanks3590]

hopefully AI will replace 99% of the "writers" at IGN.

[@cancheluk]

thank you very much for the wonderful video

[@DrewTrox]

I'm looking forward to more dynamic reactive gameplay. Like the director in Left 4 Dead. Imagine the story and city of GTA changing to fit your play style.

[@gamingwithhunna422]

Let's not kid ourselves, a.i has been in video games since the dawn of em. Every cpu you've faced, every final boss, every mini boss, every npc, every random encounter, in every level we've encountered some form of A.I for many years now in video games don't act like it's a new concept.

[@Keyfram3d]

That was scripting, not truly ai like we are seeing now.

[@thisisfullspectrum]

Must be cold in the studio Max?

[@Curt_Randall]

Wow, AI in games? What will they think of next? Three dimensional graphics? Directional sound? Motion capture?

[@StevenBanaszak]

Putting in guard rails so that people don't lose jobs seems like a bad idea. We shouldn't stop technological progress just because we are worried about laborers. We should instead change the system to work for people so that their job loss is not a huge detriment to their quality of life.

[@connozac1109]

Dawg doesn’t know what AI is

[@philliphuey231]

It will go from Kojima game to the Google Algorithm. Mostly negatives in the future but resistance is futile.

[@nicollokhumalo2826]

Find it funny that you didn't talk about how AI will affect game review and content sites, like ign 😂

[@yungmatt009]

There will literally be no jobs left.

[@iblazefielding4983]

4k?

[@TheNickellis]

So would we be able to get games more often? Still waiting on elder scrolls 6.

[@ashdang23]

no the point is that you take your imagination and creativity and put it in the hands of AI. so basically you can have infinite games

[@namelesswitch8779]

"How AI Change the games industry"... Nah,me watching SAO

[@minbari73]

AI will eventually free up humans to remain in their floating chairs and rot away to nothing.

[@dragondelsur5156]

MIND IS SOFTWARE BODIES ARE DISPOSABLE THE SYSTEM WILL SET YOU FREE

[@WavemStudios]

We are including AI into Cosmic Force

[@anexs]

AI also has been decades giving human false sense of victory when the developer tune down their aggression in hard mode because you keep trying and they gave you a chance out of pity. Lol

[@iporush1667]

... whos gonna tell him about the nvdia cards? you have to have the most expensive cards to use their ai.

[@ariesone3221]

So is the narrator AI itself?

[@AdmiralBison]

It is INNEVITABLE that AI will replace countless jobs, corporations like McDonalds and Wendy's are trialing to do this with drive through's, just like automation has done for manufacturing. Instead, we should change our ECONOMIC SYSTEM, democratize AI/Automation, not all in the control of giant corporations and the rich.

[@whatisiswhatable]

Just started the video. This guy sounds like he’s AI

[@deserttyphoon665]

So what's the difference between AI and motion capture??

[@pointbrake3183]

I’m years ai will be able to create AAA games with a prompt

[@Serpher1]

AI for NPC's is just scripts. Actual AI adjusts itself depending on the input.

[@happyphiri4237]

You guys at ign need ai to play shooters for you after that redfall showcase

[@Twistybeard]

Great article

[@rebelangel8227]

the ai in video games is completely differant than what computer scientist call AI...that is about to change though...

[@-Sparagmos-]

AI replacing Ubisoft devs doesn't sound so bad tbh

[@JayTraversJT]

That’s the one place I’d except it lol

[@_Cetarial]

You want devs to lose their jobs?

[@handsomesquidward151]

@@_Cetarial Ubisoft and EA devs? Yes.

[@_Cetarial]

@@handsomesquidward151 You know the devs have little to do with the terrible business practices, right?

[@dragondelsur5156]

Sounds like something Ubisoft would do without even thinking about it.

[@PigRipperLAW]

We better create a universal basic income

[@ArtDocHound]

There's no "AI" in T.E.A.M.

[@caiuspostumiusturrinus1024]

They are downplaying the ish outta this... It's so much more capable than what they are willing to tell you.

[@privatetoyz]

dudes shirt is way too damn tight.

[@FeralWolfPack]

@ 1:44

[@abhijeetchatterjee1869]

Just imagine you speaking to an NPC, based on a natural language AI, that responds to your query perfectly, what then how should you interpret this behavior of a natural language processing AI which can also respond to you, when you are immersed into a games story line or a plot line. It will be a dynamic shift into a behavior model of an AI which would be hard, for all of us to distinguish between a plot line of a game and an dynamic variable introduced into the plot of the virtual experience of the game, which is now catered by an AI to suit every gamers whims and fancies to control the narrative of a plot line, enabled by an AI designed to meet expectation of every gamers and not by creative directions of the games creator. This will surrender the narrative of the the game to the interpretation of it by an AI as ordained by the player, although it's a freedom that can't be imagined right now but it's the pathway all narrative based gaming is headed towards.

[@jasonshere]

At least we know AI didn't write this - it would have done a much better job.

[@Vectone]

Make the boss think for themself and make it more of challenge and we all will suffer =D

[@lakadososhava5866]

Most major studios already saying they won’t touch AI generated art assist because of the legal problems they bring in.

[@jarivuorinen3878]

AI can probably be trained in big studios from assets that the studio owns, not all AI art is Midjourney for texturing or whatever questionable audio AI's there are. Disney is apparently training AI's from its own assets.

[@lilbaz8732]

And you believe them?

[@blackbird1891]

In a capitalist society, time and money are the value points. Opportunities to save or produce either, will define its value. Not just for companies but individuals as well. Societal or moral concerns be damned.

[@Steezowl]

AI mate will be a thing in the close future. my r1 in wow will be easier

[@Seanobb]

AI is not the same thing as fixed scriptwriting which is what 90% of these examples actually are.

[@achirasilva2567]

AI is an umbrella term that includes "fixed scriptwriting ". Most people know AIs nowadays as generative AI.

[@bpelectric]

... really disagree with the viewpoint you're taking here. Calling traditional rules-based NPC behavior and procedural generation 'AI' in the modern sense is like calling a pocket calculator an early form of a x86 PC since they are both 'computers'. Fundamentally different technologies, despite the overloaded tech jargon.

[@vincedgarvlogs]

2025 AI will make games.

[@kontex616]

nuknukan na itu!

[@marshallmcluhan33]

The medium is the message.

[@blist14ant]

A lot of people lost jobs in the horse and carriage business because of the invention of cars. Its a natural economic process.

[@crobinson2624]

How about NO.

[@les_crow]

They're getting pushed out. AI will win. Nothing stopping this train.

[@dr.coconut6051]

my 13 reasons why

[@mirshia5248]

How about ai to test for bugs I'm games

[@CaptainJeoy]

Procedural Generation is not a form of AI 🤦🏾‍♂️🤦🏾‍♂️🤦🏾‍♂️ Are y'all just guessing or what? Pls do your research before making up something false.

[@icedancer2370]

Can’t wait for AI for run games instead of graphics cards. I’d imagine it would be like playing destiny or something and then you get a quest that goes way deeper than you would have ever thought into a procedurally generated world hand crafted for the prompts of the quest as if a human made it.

[@c.m3558]

That's not how it works. If we ever get a Machine Learning-based game, you will not only need a GPU for rendering the grafics, you need a beefy GPU to run dynamic code on your PC. Otherwise you can't make a game that actually uses AI and machine learning individually for every player.

[@WhiteEagle8888]

THE AI DUN TOOK OUR JOOOBS!!!!!!!!!

[@dragondelsur5156]

Moron detected:

[@panjimahesa]

wow DEEP fake+artificial intelligence=some folks/studio will get rich, it is a tool like legendary microsoft office, imagine one stop machine/software to produce high end game 🤔🤑

[@zombl337og]

the smart AI will make games a lot more immersive. having smart NPCs who act and move like humans is key, along with advanced physics and destruction

[@saiepro9708]

My question is: if AI takes over everything what will be left for us to do?

[@newyearzeve]

Play videogames

[@ashdang23]

AI isn’t taking over all jobs. jobs will always be around and there’s gonna be hundred thousands of jobs

[@jonfee5081]

😮

[@favio194]

They should give an ai the tools to create a game and tell it to make the most fun game in the world

[@lilbaz8732]

And wipe humanity out in the process.

[@iShredStreets]

Boycot AI!

[@rojaynazir1668]

Please dont. AI is the next step in the accessibility of information. It will speed lab research and unlock new ways to process information.

[@iShredStreets]

@@rojaynazir1668 are you planning to have children?

[@_Cetarial]

@@iShredStreetsWhat does that have to do with A.I?

[@iShredStreets]

@@_Cetarial Uh… their future?

[@KillerTacos54]

AI has literally been in games for decades. At least be more specific

[@morte1176]

the misconception is that the creator of the video has not graspet the fact that "vidoegame AI" is not "AI" as the science field for neural network based approach. they bare two separate thing, so no AI as never been part of vidoegames; the first notable implementation is on the unreal game engine and doungeon alchimist to popolate a scene using assets.

[@mahavakyas002]

this is a terrible video. gaming AI so far is NOT the "AI" that is all the rage now.

[@Tim_Franklin]

IGN couldn't get someone to record a real voice over for this? C'mon...

[@brianmalkiewicz7120]

Ah the classic "I didn't watch the video" comment.

[@sherebelek]

An American black woman with colored hair

[@tem0079]

More AI & less humans plz

[@dragondelsur5156]

If you want less humans, start with yourself.

[@tem0079]

@@dragondelsur5156 So you want me to kill myself? Yikes!