AI is becoming a universal tool for game design. Despite video game artificial intelligence still being in its infancy, game companies have already started to recognize attractive benefits such as enhanced player experience and cost reduction.
Ever since the first program that played chess in the ’50s, video games have been associated with artificial intelligence. The efforts to solve the challenge of computers defeating human experts in strategy games such as chess, poker, and Go have significantly advanced AI research. In turn, this has led to enhancements in the design of new games.
In a broad sense, most video games incorporate some form of AI. Nevertheless, modern AI methods can be applied in distinct areas that help game companies realize business benefits as well. For example, through enhancing photorealistic effects, generating content, balancing in-game complexities, and providing intelligence to non-playing characters (NPCs), AI improves the overall user experience while saving game companies budget and time.
Read on to find out more about the importance and impact of AI in games, typical applications, commonly employed AI methods, the most popular games that utilize AI, the business benefits, current limitations in how AI can be applied, and the future of AI in games.