How generative AI could reinvent what it means to play

Generative AI is revolutionizing video games, potentially creating more immersive and dynamic experiences with AI-powered animated people called “nonplayer characters,” or NPCs. Companies like Inworld AI and Bitpart are developing tools for unscripted, open-ended character interactions. While this technology could enhance existing games, it may also lead to entirely new gaming concepts. However, Associate Professor Julian Togelius warns that unlimited freedom might not always be desirable: "The more content you generate, the more boring it might be." He suggests that the industry should focus on leveraging AI's unique qualities: "These engines already have that kind of a psychedelic quality to them. There's something trippy about them."