AI Magazine April 2023 | Page 79

AI APPLICATIONS

As an integral part of video games since their inception in the 1950s , AI in gaming is nothing new .

Twenty years before the release of Pong by Atari , AI was being used in games . One of the earliest examples is the 1951 mathematical strategy game Nim , in which two players take turns removing objects from piles , where the computer was able to beat human players regularly . In the same year , the AI Ferranti Mark 1 machine at the University of Manchester was used to write a game of chess , in one of the first computer programmes ever written .
Today , generative AI tools have the potential to transform an industry which , according to a report by PwC , is expected to be worth as much as $ 321 billion by 2026 .
Procedural content generation Highlighted by the rising popularity of tools such as ChatGPT , generative AI has the potential to revolutionise numerous industries , including the video game industry . Video games have already come a long way since their inception , with improved graphics , sound , and gameplay mechanics , but generative AI could take them to the next level .
One of the most significant ways that generative AI can transform the video game industry is through procedural content generation . Procedural content generation involves using algorithms to generate game content – such as levels , maps , environments , and characters – automatically . This can save game developers a significant amount of time and resources , while also creating a more varied and unique gameplay experience for players .
For the 2020 release of its pioneering flight simulator , Microsoft partnered with the
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