When I play a game, it is easy to ignore the subtle tactics it uses to enhance my experience. Ten years ago, this enhancement may have come in the form of regular app updates or new quests. However, games can now leverage the power of artificial intelligence to create unique experiences without changing content.

AI has gone hand-in-hand with gaming for years. For example, I enjoyed the use of AI in “The Last of Us,” originally released in 2013, as the waves of enemies showed thoughtful decision making through teamwork and hiding tactics.

More recently, AI has expanded its role within games. This encompasses several functionalities, all the way from processing complicated data to analyzing user trends to make marketing decisions, according to Forbes. One specific field of AI that has been exposed to the public eye extensively is a subfield known as Generative AI. Generative AI refers to models that can develop forms of media based on input and training data, according to IBM. AI models like ChatGPT and DALL-E are examples of Generative AI, according to Coursera.

Generative AI has many potential applications in gaming. A simple yet effective way to use this technology would be to generate dialogue that would allow users to talk to NPCs in an interactive way. Instead of having set dialogue options, Generative AI would give real-time responses to players’ text-based input. This would allow for more diverse and unpredictable gameplay, where players would make true decisions instead of simply choosing between built-in ones.

However, Generative AI is a relatively new technology, and its potential is still being explored. Although it is currently reserved for high-end companies that can afford to learn about and invest in this technology, this concept will eventually find its way into all video games. As an amateur game developer and an AI enthusiast, I already aspire to utilize these technologies when they become more mainstream. For now, however, research and development need to continue so that this technology can reach its full capabilities and become an essential part of gaming.