The intersection of artificial intelligence (AI) and gaming is proving to be a transformative partnership that industry leaders say could redefine player experiences, game development, and customer service within the gambling sector. At the recent SiGMA Europe summit, a panel of AI and gaming experts delved into how AI is already influencing the industry and where its potential might take it.
AI in gaming: moving beyond the buzzword
While AI is one of the hottest topics in technology, Oliver De Bono, CEO of Quantum Gaming, warned that much of what we see as “AI” today is still catching up with the full potential it promises. “We’re at HD-ready, not full HD,” De Bono explained jokingly. He described the technology as still in an experimental stage, with the infrastructure in the gaming industry struggling to keep up with real-time data demands. “The moment you try to implement AI-driven insights in most technology platforms today, it will break,” he said, arguing that the industry needs robust systems to fully embrace AI-driven analytics and decision-making.
However, the progress is undeniable. Dr. Gege Gatt, CEO of EBO, noted that AI’s capabilities are “far less artificial and far more intelligent than we expect.” He pointed out that even though AI is still evolving, it has already revolutionised certain core processes. “One area AI excels in is intent recognition,” he said, explaining that AI systems are becoming adept at interpreting users’ needs and intentions, even when their inputs are vague. This is a key advantage for improving customer service, he argued, as AI can personalise interactions in real-time based on a player’s sentiment, emotion, and history.
The importance of human-in-the-loop
For Mark Flores Martin, CEO of XGENIA, one of AI’s core challenges is to bridge the gap between initial AI outputs and human refinement. He described an iterative process his company uses, called “reflection tuning,” which relies on AI-driven feedback loops to refine and adjust responses. “We’re starting with ‘garbage in, garbage out,’ but we’re training AI to improve on that and deliver better results,” Martin explained. “Right now, we still require humans to make final adjustments, but we’re working on training AI to make these judgments independently.”
In the context of gaming, this human-AI partnership allows for the creation of more engaging and visually compelling gaming experiences, as AI can generate multiple variations of themes or styles. With further advancements, AI could achieve “a final iteration” that requires minimal human input—saving time and improving consistency across products.
Personalisation and real-time interaction
AI’s capacity for real-time personalisation is, according to Dr. Gatt, the best current use of the technology. AI can predict player behaviour and even prevent churn by offering personalised incentives like coupons or loyalty rewards at critical points. “We can predict in real time the risk of attrition and adjust our engagement strategies to keep valuable players,” he said.
However, implementing these personalised experiences is resource-intensive, as De Bono pointed out, with real-time data processing requiring substantial hosting costs and sophisticated infrastructure. “Are we ready for it? Definitely not,” he said. “But we’re preparing by building platforms that can gather and act on huge data points, which will allow us to reach this next level of personalised gaming experiences.”
Ethical implications
The panel also recognised the ethical and societal implications of this new AI-driven era. Sean Ellul, an experimental innovator, raised concerns about the “dystopia” AI could create if used irresponsibly, referencing classic literary depictions of societies overwhelmed by technology. He warned of a future where people are “lost in excessive degrees of distraction” from an overload of content and options, underscoring the need for responsible AI use.
Yet, for most panellists, the potential benefits outweigh the challenges. Dr. Gatt drew attention to the scientific advancements driven by AI, including its applications in medicine, which recently garnered AI the Nobel Prize for chemistry and physics. “The AI-driven discovery around protein folding is changing the way we predict and manage illnesses,” he said, suggesting that AI could be equally groundbreaking in gaming by transforming how the industry understands and engages with players.
Ultimately, the partnership between AI and gaming is still in its early stages, with leaders like De Bono, Gatt, and Martin agreeing that while AI holds immense promise, the industry has a way to go. As Martin summarised, “We’re like early humans who discovered fire but haven’t yet learned how to cook with it.” Moving forward, the challenge will be to harness AI’s capabilities thoughtfully and build robust systems to sustain its growing role in gaming, without compromising ethical standards.
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