Artificial intelligence (AI) is revolutionising industries across the board, and the gaming sector is no exception. From using AI-generated content for the game to creating video games from simple text prompts, the impact of AI on gaming is growing at an unprecedented pace.
But how significant is the influence of AI on gaming? How is AI currently shaping game development, and what does the future hold for its role in creating the next generation of games?
A Multi-Billion Dollar Industry
As reported by Technavio, the AI-focused gaming market is forecasted to experience extraordinary growth, with a boost of $27.47 billion between 2025 and 2029 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 42.3%.
Key market players using AI include Capcom, Electronic Arts, Gameloft SE, Google, Konami, Microsoft, Nintendo, NVIDIA, Sony, Take-Two Interactive Software, Tencent, Ubisoft Entertainment SA, and Unity.
Moreover, data shared by Tracxn with AIM revealed that 137 gaming companies worldwide, those founded since 2020, are using AI, and six of them are based in India. This is evident in the graph shared below.
As mentioned in the report, there are a few factors that drive growth. These include:
- Growing adoption of AR & VR games
- The rise of cloud gaming
- AI-driven graphics and realistic physics
AI improves virtual and augmented reality by making games more immersive and interactive. It employs AI algorithms to create 3D visuals, enhancing player experiences on platforms such as Microsoft HoloLens, and advancing sensor technology.
Furthermore, due to the rise of social media and mobile gaming, cloud gaming is in demand. Expensive rigs are not required to play the game; instead, cloud-based infrastructure can be rented, or an existing one can be used to play games from anywhere.
“AI technologies, including machine learning and neural networks, power advanced features like ray tracing and realistic physics simulations in games like Cyberpunk 2077, Battlefield V, and Red Dead Redemption 2,” the report added.
AI in Game Development: Are Game Studios Using It?
As per a survey by A16Z Games, while 73% of the game studios already use AI, 88% of the studios plan to use AI soon.
Notably, 85% of the executives and founders wanted to use AI, but only 58% of the artists were interested. Among the studios utilising AI, 39% reported more than a 20% boost in productivity, and 25% of them saw almost 20% cost savings.
Most people in the industry are excited about incorporating AI into game development.
Pinankk D Shah, a game producer and creative director for mobile games, told AIM about how AI helps in the art side of things, “I think on the art side, people are already using AI a fair bit, including myself. One of the major uses currently helping me or many others is to make quick concepts.”
“So, if I have a concept in mind, I can generate ideas fairly quickly and also get more ideas using AI, which expands my thought process and also makes exploring possibilities a lot easier,” he added.
Chip makers like AMD are also in talks with game engine developers to explore ways to leverage models that are more generative in nature, as stated by Jason Banta, the vice president and general manager of AMD’s Client OEM, in an interview with Laptop Mag.
Ubisoft, a game studio popularly known for titles like Assassin’s Creed, is also working on generative AI prototypes for non-playable characters (NPCs) in the game.
NVIDIA also introduced ACE autonomous game characters earlier this year, which allows NPCs to perceive, plan, and act like human players. This enables the support game character to be more useful in players’ missions and makes the enemies adapt to their strategies, proving to be challenging.
Games like PUBG and NARAKA: BLADEPOINT also use the same tech to provide players with a co-playable character and AI companions.
Games like Call of Duty by Activision and similar major multiplayer games have started integrating AI into their anti-cheat mechanisms to catch cheaters efficiently and more accurately.
The Future of AI in Gaming
From creating lifelike NPCs and dynamic game worlds to enhancing realism and gameplay experiences, gaming is slated to get more interesting.
Forecast reports mention that AI-enabled platforms and deep learning ML models are helping to improve matchmaking and prediction, even with network latency being a challenge in multiplayer gaming.
The report also mentions high processing power requirements as another challenge to tackle in the AI-enabled gaming industry. Perhaps, with new data centres being built, more startups and companies will be able to tap into integrating AI into their games.
While the number of Indian startups in this market is extremely low, the potential of the market could encourage more founders and developers to create video games using AI, giving rise to AI-enabled video game development in the country.
