Xbox developers will now be able to use AI tools to generate characters, dialogue, questlines, and more thanks to a new partnership between Microsoft and Inworld AI, the maker of an AI character engine already prevalent among devs.
According to The Verge, the partnership between Microsoft and Inworld will result in the development of an AI toolset that “will include the AI design copilot for scripts and dialogue, and an AI character engine that can be integrated into games and used to dynamically generate stories, quests, and dialogue.”
These tools will not be mandatory, though, leaving the decision on whether to use the AI tools or not up to the developers themselves. “We want to help make it easier for developers to realize their visions, try new things, push the boundaries of gaming today and experiment to improve gameplay, player connection and more,” said Xbox’s general manager of gaming AI Haiyan Zhang.
AI and gaming have had a complicated relationship in recent times as the rise in attempted use of automated AI tools has aligned with a spike in layoffs at several game dev studios. When devs do use AI, they’re very careful with how they publicly announce how it’s used, such as the team at World of Warcraft revealing they use AI to clear out more “tedious” work while not “impacting human work or creative outlets.”
Devs have come under fire recently for using AI, specifically when it comes to character dialogue. Embark, the developer of first-person shooter THE FINALS, had to respond to negative feedback toward AI-generated commentary for the in-game announcers, affirming that removing voice actors “isn’t the end goal.” Back in March, Ubisoft took criticism after implementing an AI tool to help with narrative design and first draft writing, which it foolishly named “Ghostwriter.”
Microsoft recently finalized and completed its deal to acquire massive game publisher Activision Blizzard.
