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A14 TECHNOLOGY
Thursday 26 sepTember 2024
Can AI make video games more immersive? Some studios turn to

AI-fueled NPCs for more interaction

By SARAH PARVINI environments that feel
AP Technology Writer more alive and can react
LOS ANGELES (AP) — For to players’ choices in real-
decades, video games time.
have relied on scripted, Tech companies continue
stilted interactions with to develop AI for games,
non-player characters to even as developers de-
help shepherd gamers in bate how, and whether,
their journeys. But as artifi- they’ll use AI in their prod-
cial intelligence technolo- ucts. Nvidia created its
gy improves, game studios ACE technologies to bring
are experimenting with so-called “digital humans”
generative AI to help build to life with generative AI. In-
environments, assist game world AI provides develop-
writers in crafting NPC ers with a platform for gen-
dialogue and lend video erative NPC behavior and
games the improvisational dialogue. Gaming com-
spontaneity once reserved pany Ubisoft said last year
for table-top role-playing that it uses Ghostwriter, an
games. in-house AI tool, to help
In the multiplayer game write some NPC dialogue
“Retail Mage,” players help without replacing the vid-
run a magical furniture eo game writer.
store and assist customers in Jam & Tea Studios founders, left to right, Michael Yichao, center, Carl Kwoh, third from right, and A report released by the
hopes of earning a five-star J. Aaron Farr, fourth from right, pose with staff on Jan. 18, 2024, in Roslyn, Wash. Associated Press Game Developers Confer-
review. As a salesperson ence in January found that
and wizard they can pick termined script to create ate for them,” said Michael continue on. Game devel- nearly half of developers
up and examine items or more options for chatting Yichao, cofounder of Jam opers and AI companies surveyed said generative
tell the system what they’d and using objects in the & Tea Studios, which cre- say that by using genera- AI tools are currently be-
like to do with a product, shop. ated “Retail Mage.” tive AI tech, they aim to ing used in their workplace,
such as deconstruct chairs “We believe generative AI The typical NPC experience create a richer experience with 31% saying they per-
for parts or tear a page can unlock a new kind of often leaves something to that allows for more nu- sonally use those tools. De-
from a book to write a note gameplay where the world be desired. Pre-scripted in- anced relationships with velopers at indie studios
to a shopper. is more responsive and teractions with someone the people and worlds that were most likely to use gen-
A player’s interactions with more able to meet players meant to pass along a designers build. erative AI, with 37% report-
the shop and NPCs around at their creativity and the quest typically come with Generative AI could also ing use the tech.
them from gameplay me- things that they come up a handful of chatting op- provide more opportunities Still, roughly four out of five
chanics to content and di- with and the stories they tions that lead to the same for players to go off-script developers said they worry
alogue creation are fueled want to tell inside a fan- conclusion: players get the and create their own sto- about the ethical use of
by AI rather than a prede- tasy setting that we cre- information they need and ries if designers can craft AI.q

Google complains about Microsoft cloud tactics to European

Union antitrust watchdog

LONDON (AP) — Google European Union antitrust In a blog post, Google al- similar concerns raised by Google said Microsoft
escalated a feud with Mi- complaint accusing its leged that Microsoft’s li- European cloud providers, changed its licensing terms
crosoft over cloud comput- tech rival of anticompeti- censing practices lock “even after Google hoped in 2019 to impose “extreme
ing on Wednesday with a tive practices. business customers into us- they would keep litigating.” financial penalties” on busi-
ing its Azure cloud comput- Those providers, part of the nesses that want to use
ing platform. trade group Cloud Infra- Windows Server software
It said Microsoft is the only structure Services Providers on rival services like Google
cloud provider that uses in Europe, said in July that Cloud and Amazon Web
such tactics, which stifles they withdrew their own Services.
competition, costs busi- complaint after signing a That’s despite there be-
nesses more and exposes deal with Microsoft. ing no technical barriers to
them to bigger security “Having failed to persuade switch services.
risks. European companies, we Locking in users to a single
Google, which competes expect Google similarly technology platform brings
against Microsoft with its will fail to persuade the Eu- heightened security risks,
Google Cloud services, ropean Commission,” Mi- Google said, pointing to a
said it filed a formal com- crosoft said in a prepared global tech outage in July
plaint with the European statement. stemming from a faulty
Commission, the 27-nation A commission spokesper- software update by cyber-
bloc’s executive branch son said it has received the security company Crowd-
In this April 17, 2007 file photo, exhibitors work on laptop and top antitrust enforcer. complaint and will assess it Strike that grounded flights
computers in front of an illuminated sign of the Google logo at Microsoft said that it al- “under our standard pro- and knocked banks and
the industrial fair Hannover Messe in Hanover, Germany.
Associated Press ready amicably settled cedures.” hospital systems offline.q