Gaming giants go all-in on AI despite controversies

From the head of Electronic Arts to the CEO of Microsoft Gaming, everyone has an opinion to share on the impact of artificial intelligence. In this article, we’ll dive into some of the recent AI comments and moves made by some of the biggest players in the gaming ecosystem.

Artificial intelligence and its potential use are on everyone’s lips. From the music industry to Hollywood, AI is sparking heated conversations. Digital artists and content creators are pushing back against AI-generated art. And the gaming industry is trembling as well, amidst growing fears of workforce displacement.

Electronic Arts CEO Andrew Wilson commented on the hottest issue of the day at length during the company’s Q4 earnings briefing. Wilson made an all-out effort to address what he said was a legitimate issue regarding this nascent technology. But according to him, there is no doubt that gaming will be a “great beneficiary” of AI. Yet, he emphasized that AI could follow a similar trajectory to the agricultural and industrial revolutions, leading to workforce displacement in the short term before prompting “meaningful increases” in employment possibilities down the line.

Wilson said that Electronic Arts was working very closely to ensure that the company’s people would “benefit in that way.” Artificial intelligence may help developers expedite “the velocity of content,” said fellow EA executive Laura Miele. Game development being as lengthy a process as it is expensive, developers may leverage AI to try out new ideas in support of their “creative iteration” process.

Electronic Arts is just one of many firm believers in AI within the tech space. French gaming giant Ubisoft introduced Ubisoft Ghostwriter, an in-house AI tool created hand-in-hand with scriptwriters to generate more realistic NPC interactions. PUBG creator Brendan Greene is using advanced machine learning for his ambitious blockchain-powered Project Artemis, a massive planet-size open-world metaverse game. Microsoft’s latest acquisition of Activision Blizzard came with an AI spin, as the studio is testing an array of AI tools. Head of Microsoft Gaming Phil Spencer added in an interview that the “intersection of AI and gaming” was always there.

And the generative AI boom in gaming is barely beginning, as even gamers start toying with the technology. A Minecraft mod now lets players spruce up their block-building with ChatGPT. Another modder used OpenAI’s viral conversational tool to create a script generating dynamic answers from NPCs in Skyrim. Before long, popular esports figures and influencers could rely on AI to streamline their content production.

Meanwhile, artificial intelligence is transforming the iGaming industry. Online casino operators capitalize on AI to boost their cybersecurity and better detect fraud. To play it safe, newcomers may check reviewing hubs like Vegas Slots Online to pick the most trusted platforms around. From secure banking methods to data-encrypted transactions, safety is key for an online casino to make the cut. Players can also access thousands of top-quality machine slots all in one place. Both free pokies and real money slots are mobile-friendly for gamers to have some fun on the go.

AI is undeniably a tipping point in the gaming medium. For all its advocates, however, artificial intelligence is also being met with backlash. Earlier this year, Elon Musk and other tech luminaries signed an open letter urging tech labs to curtail the development of AI, fearing the technology might pose too steep a risk for society and humanity. And the bickering is just as rampant among the gaming community.

Fans lambasted the Chinese gaming giants Tencent and NetEase for using AI drawings they said made the games feel soulless. In February, a dev working for one of Tencent’s studios apologized for producing parts of an Alchemy Stars poster with artificial intelligence. More recently still, Square Enix was caught in the crossfire. The Japanese RPG publisher quietly released an AI-driven reboot of a 1983 adventure game. And gamers did not take kindly to the initiative, calling it a failure on all fronts. This 2023 remake of The Portopia Serial Murder Case quickly became the publisher’s worst-rated title on.

Hope lingers among critical fans that AI in gaming will only be a fad. In the wake of Andrew Wilson’s recent remarks, some were quick to point out that the CEO of EA had already backtracked on NFTs after initially calling crypto the “future of the industry.”

One thing’s for sure, though, the AI revolution is afoot. And we’re adamant that AI will keep us gamers talking for many years to come.

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