AI Advancements Pave Way for Immortal NPCs in Video Games, Predicts Animoca Brands Co-Founder
Summary:
Animoca Brands co-founder Yat Siu predicts that NPCs (Nonplayer Characters) in video games could soon be entirely powered by artificial intelligence and immortalized on blockchain technology. While this is still years away, early signs of such advancements are expected to be seen in 2024. Big tech firms, such as Nvidia and Microsoft, are investing in AI development for NPCs, focusing on natural language processing and improving in-game stories, quests, and dialogues. Stanford University research on AI agents displaying believable human behavior in a virtual environment supports these developments. It also includes trends of Ethereum’s ERC-6551 token standard integration for creating AI agents in games and automating repetitive actions.
In future, artificial intelligence could have the potential to completely run nonplayer characters commonly known as "NPCs" in gaming jargon. These NPCs may even have the ability to be immortalized via blockchain, operating within numerous games. This foresight was shared by Yat Siu, a co-founder of Animoca Brands, who stated that although such a breakthrough is probably some years down the line, traces of these advancements could be noticeable as early as 2024. According to Siu, interaction-specific experiences with NPCs will become more prominent within games. He went on to mention AI agents with the capability to perform tasks on behalf of the player.
Several open-source initiatives and community-led projects have released game modifications enabling players to communicate with NPCs. These modifications employ generative AI systems to formulate responses and even imitate facial expressions in reaction to player inputs. Giant tech businesses are setting their sights on AI for improving NPCs, with NVIDIA unveiling its ACE for Games tool earlier this year (May), designed to apply AI language processing to grant NPCs their intelligence. Further, Xbox, a Microsoft-owned console gaming trademark, teamed up with Inworld AI in November, creating a toolset for developers that facilitates the customization of evolving stories, quests, and dialogue in video games.
Siu mentioned a study conducted by Stanford University in April, where 25 AI agents, operating within a virtual community, were noted participating in parties and engaging in conversations which appeared to have substance. The researchers deduced that these AI agents exhibited believable human behavior.
For NPC dialogue, majority of AAA game NPCs still lean on voice acting and script. A blockchain-based NPC AI will require to figure out a way to sustain itself. Siu mentioned that these NPCs will literally need to pay their own expenses, particularly data.
In relation to this, Gabby Dizon, the co-founder of Yield Guild Games, stated last month in a discussion with Cointelegraph, that Web3 game designers are adopting Ethereum’s ERC-6551 token standard to weave AI into their games and give rise to AI agents that work in favour of the player.
By instructing in-game AI, players can mechanize some of the monotonous aspects of video games, for example, crafting or collection of items necessary for leveling up. Dizon stated that it presages the beginning of a new kind of game genre where interaction with AI eliminates the need for players to stay engrossed in the game all day. The player can define boundaries for the AI and allow it to perform tasks in the virtual world.
Published At
12/25/2023 2:30:00 AM
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