Let’s delve into how AI is revolutionising online slot gaming in the UK and what this means for both players and developers.

AI integration in slot machine development

The development of slot machines has come a long way from their mechanical beginnings to the sophisticated digital versions we see today. AI is at the forefront of this evolution, significantly enhancing the creation and functionality of these games.

Enhanced game design

AI enables developers to create more dynamic and visually appealing games. By analysing vast amounts of player data, AI can generate themes, graphics, and narratives that are tailored to the preferences of different player demographics. This means that games can be more immersive and engaging, drawing players into captivating storylines and visually stunning environments that are continually evolving based on player interactions.

Adaptive gameplay

One of the most exciting applications of AI in slot machine development is the ability to adjust gameplay in real-time. AI algorithms monitor player behaviour and adapt the difficulty and features of the game accordingly. For example, if a player is struggling, the game might become slightly easier to keep them engaged, or if a player is doing exceptionally well, the game might present more challenges to maintain excitement. This adaptive gameplay ensures that players remain interested and challenged, providing a more satisfying gaming experience.

Personalised player experience

Personalisation is a key aspect of modern online gaming, and AI is instrumental in delivering a customised experience for each player.

Machine learning for player insights

AI uses machine learning to analyse player behaviour and preferences, allowing for highly personalised game suggestions and promotional offers. By understanding what types of games a player enjoys and how they like to play, AI can recommend new games or bonuses that are most likely to appeal to them. This level of personalisation enhances the player’s experience and increases their engagement with the platform.

Customised in-game experience

Beyond recommendations, AI also customises the gameplay itself. For instance, AI can adjust game mechanics, such as bonus frequencies and difficulty levels, based on individual player data. This means that each gaming session is unique and tailored to the player’s specific preferences, making the gaming experience more enjoyable and engaging.

Enhancing security and fairness

Security and fairness are critical components of online gaming, and AI plays a significant role in ensuring both.

Fraud detection and prevention

AI is highly effective in identifying and preventing fraudulent activities. By continuously monitoring player behavior and transaction patterns, AI can detect anomalies that may indicate fraudulent actions. When such activities are detected, AI can intervene in real-time to prevent losses and protect players and operators alike. This capability is crucial for maintaining the integrity and trustworthiness of online gaming platforms.

Ensuring fair play

Ensuring fair play is paramount in online gaming, and AI enhances this by maintaining the integrity of random number generators (RNG). AI algorithms ensure that the outcomes of slot games are truly random and free from manipulation. This transparency is essential for player trust, as it guarantees that every player has an equal chance of winning based on luck, without any external interference.

AI’s role in responsible gambling

AI is also a powerful tool in promoting responsible gambling practices, helping to mitigate the risks associated with gambling addiction.

Predictive analytics for problem gambling

AI can analyse playing patterns to identify behaviours that may indicate problem gambling. By using predictive analytics, AI can spot early signs of addiction, such as excessive spending or extended gaming sessions. This allows gaming platforms to intervene proactively, offering support and resources to players who may be at risk.

Intervention strategies

Once potential problem gambling behavior is identified, AI can implement intervention strategies. This might include sending notifications to players about their gaming habits, providing self-assessment tools, or limiting the amount of time and money a player can spend on the platform. These strategies are designed to help players maintain a healthy relationship with gambling and prevent the escalation of problematic behaviours.

Future prospects

Looking ahead, the potential of AI in the online slot gaming industry is immense. As AI technology continues to advance, we can expect even more sophisticated and personalised gaming experiences. AI-driven innovation will likely lead to entirely new types of games that we cannot yet imagine, offering unparalleled levels of engagement and excitement.

AI is revolutionising the online slot gaming industry in the UK, offering enhanced game design, personalised player experiences, improved security, and responsible gambling measures. As the technology continues to evolve, the future of online slot gaming looks incredibly promising, with AI playing a pivotal role in shaping this exciting landscape. For players and developers alike, the integration of AI presents endless possibilities for innovation and improvement in the world of online gaming.

The post The impact of AI on online slot gaming in the UK appeared first on AI News.

Many games are being totally revolutionised by AI stepping onto the scene, so let’s get into the nitty-gritty of which games are changing, what’s happening, and how AI is leaving its footprint on this world of online casino games!

Personalisation in the slots

First up: personalisation. AI really shines when it comes to personalising the slots, because an AI can analyse each player’s individual behaviour and start tailoring what the game shows to match. Imagine you’re playing at your favourite slot, and you get a bunch of free spins come up – but none of them are quite what you wanted and they’re just not doing it for you today. We all know that feeling of disappointment… and honestly, it gets directed at the company, because why don’t they know you better than that? Isn’t marketing meant to be good these days?

Well, AI is changing all that and cutting the frustration that comes with it! It is capable of tracking what bonuses you use and what games you play (and even when and how you play them), and that means that suddenly, casinos can offer much more tailored options when you’re playing on the slots. Free spins for your favourite game ever, just as you sit down to relax on a Friday night? Yes, that’s much more likely now! 

Personalised bonus games? These are also creeping onto the scene, along with game features that are specifically honed to tick your “like” box and give you the best possible gaming experience. And it’s only because of AI that this is becoming possible – sure, casinos tried to offer this kind of personalisation in the past, but it was simply too much for humans to manage.

Of course, you must have been playing the slots for a while for this to work; the AI is dependent on having historical data of how you play and when you play to bring up these offers. The longer you’ve been playing and the more consistent your patterns are, the better the AI will be able to come up with offers that are perfect for you. As this system improves, maybe we’ll see slots that are completely unique for each individual – it could happen! And as AI becomes increasingly accepted and legislation is put into place for it, we’re going to see more and more innovation in this space.

Learning about bluffing in poker

How do you teach a computer to bluff? We’re not going to pretend it’s easy; it’s proven a major challenge for those building AIs, getting a computer to mimic a human’s ability to deceive other players. However, we’re pretty much there, and AIs can now be incorporated into the online world of poker – one of the most popular casino games on the planet.

So, first off, they have created an AI that’s good at poker; there’s been major progress in advancing how the absolute best AI can play, and it’s doing well. However, that’s not actually enough for casinos: they don’t want an AI that can beat human players every time, because who would ever play against that? They need an AI that can understand nuance, make mistakes occasionally, and lose – but in convincing ways that are still satisfying to play against. Now that’s a real challenge!

But if they’re successful, there’s going to be big rewards: some people would much rather play against a computer than other humans, provided the computer makes a satisfying opponent. This is likely to be an ongoing process as the AIs master how to play in each context, but it already looks promising to us! Of course, there are wary about teaching computers how to lie effectively… after all, sci-fi books and films have shown us exactly why that could be a bad idea. For the casino industry, though, it’s looking tantalising. 

Conclusion

AI isn’t “big” in most casino games yet, because it hasn’t had time to infiltrate them… but we’re likely to see it edging in from the fringes and changing more and more things about how we play and enjoy games online as the years come. It’s overly exciting to imagine how it might revolutionise classic games like poker, blackjack, roulette, the slots, and more. However, we’re just going to have to “wait and see” here, because AI is only just unfolding its metaphorical wings and starting to flap.

The post AI in casino games: A whole new world waiting to be dealt appeared first on AI News.

Across the world, we’re seeing more and more efforts to ramp up AI and make the most of the talent seen in this space, but what effect is this having on how the world works and what we’re seeing? Casinos are an amazing example, so let’s jump in!

Better safety and security

We all think of online casinos as pretty safe places anyway – nobody’s going to be spending money at a casino they think is disreputable, after all. As long as you pick a reputable casino to play at? You’re not really going to need to worry too much about data theft or whether your financial details are safe… but many people still do. Fortunately, AI is ratcheting up the safety bar!

How? Well, one of AI’s biggest strengths lies in its amazing ability to keep an eye on what’s going on all the time, so it’s super-fast at detecting when something is wrong. If you’re not sure how that works, it basically watches users’ behaviour patterns, analyses how they are playing, notes any anomalies, tracks responses, and so much more, and all of that information means that it notices when something’s amiss – fast. That means it’s seriously swift and accurate when it comes to identifying fraudulent activity.

Casinos can put this to a very practical use: noticing if an individual’s account has been hacked or if they’re behaving in unusual ways that could indicate something is awry. This maximises the security and means that they can shut down fraud fast when it’s occurring – making everyone who chooses to use these sites safer than ever before. Better online security practices? We say: yes, please!

Of course, you should still couple that with choosing reputable, high-end casinos, so you know they’re making the most of security options. Sites like https://thunderpick.io/esports are known for providing top-notch, secure games to their customers, and the whole platform is designed to maximise consumer safety – meaning you’ve got nothing to worry about while you play, and you can focus on taking home a win!

Enhanced rewards for players everywhere

Ever had an offer pop up that looks like it would be amazing, but it’s just not right for you? Maybe for a game that you don’t play, or limited to a timeframe that you can’t utilise? Those are almost worse than not getting an offer – you feel like you’re missing out and it’s frustrating and disappointing. We know the feeling; who hasn’t been there? And up to now, although casinos have done their best to avoid this happening, it does crop up – it’s just not avoidable when you’re working with limited datasets and humans.

However, AI is changing that; it’s capable of analysing vast amounts of data, which means it’s much better at identifying what players want and when they want it. The AI monitors the way you play, the times you play, the games you choose, the offers you utilise, and so much more – and then it takes all that information and turns it into something actually useful: offers tailored to your interests and playing style, which you can use to enhance your casino fun.

That works in the casinos’ favor too; they’re more likely to see loyal players, because they’ll be offering the best, most focused deals for that player, based on their previous gameplay. That means they’ll have more repeat customers, and they’ll be able to better meet their needs, enhancing customer satisfaction. It seems like everyone wins here!

And if you’re a fan of games that have in-game purchases? AI might be able to ensure you’re offered better, more tailored deals there too, meaning you get the very best for your money. Who’s going to say no to that?

Better games

Another area of enhancement? It lies in the games themselves: AI is already being used to improve the games that exist, but it’s also being utilised in the creation of brand-new games. We’re seeing more and more developers make use of AI to enhance the games they’ve built, offering enhanced graphics, more balanced challenges, increased fairness, and a whole lot more.

The future of game development looks bright with these tools available to developers everywhere, and as AI gets ever-better, the options are only going to increase and diversify, allowing for some truly incredible releases. We see great promise on the gaming horizon!

The potential is therefore clear; we see AI having a vast number of applications in making casino games even more enjoyable and increasing the number of players interested in engaging in the digital space. As online casinos grow year on year, it’s no surprise they’re looking for more ways to attract and captivate the players – and AI offers many avenues for doing just that.

The post How AI is making online casinos safer than ever before appeared first on AI News.

Introducing lightweight, industry-specific AI models for individual licence, SAS hopes to equip organisations with readily deployable AI technology to productionise real-world use cases with unparalleled efficiency.

Chandana Gopal, research director, Future of Intelligence, IDC, said: “SAS is evolving its portfolio to meet wider user needs and capture market share with innovative new offerings,

“An area that is ripe for SAS is productising models built on SAS’ core assets, talent and IP from its wealth of experience working with customers to solve industry problems.”

In today’s market, the consumption of models is primarily focused on large language models (LLMs) for generative AI. In reality, LLMs are a very small part of the modelling needs of real-world production deployments of AI and decision making for businesses. With the new offering, SAS is moving beyond LLMs and delivering industry-proven deterministic AI models for industries that span use cases such as fraud detection, supply chain optimization, entity management, document conversation and health care payment integrity and more.

Unlike traditional AI implementations that can be cumbersome and time-consuming, SAS’ industry-specific models are engineered for quick integration, enabling organisations to operationalise trustworthy AI technology and accelerate the realisation of tangible benefits and trusted results.

Expanding market footprint

Organisations are facing pressure to compete effectively and are looking to AI to gain an edge. At the same time, staffing data science teams has never been more challenging due to AI skills shortages. Consequently, businesses are demanding agility in using AI to solve problems and require flexible AI solutions to quickly drive business outcomes. SAS’ easy-to-use, yet powerful models tuned for the enterprise enable organisations to benefit from a half-century of SAS’ leadership across industries.

Delivering industry models as packaged offerings is one outcome of SAS’ commitment of $1 billion to AIpowered industry solutions. As outlined in the May 2023 announcement, the investment in AI builds on SAS’ decades-long focus on providing packaged solutions to address industry challenges in banking, government, health care and more.

Udo Sglavo, VP for AI and Analytics, SAS, said: “Models are the perfect complement to our existing solutions and SAS Viya platform offerings and cater to diverse business needs across various audiences, ensuring that innovation reaches every corner of our ecosystem. 

“By tailoring our approach to understanding specific industry needs, our frameworks empower businesses to flourish in their distinctive Environments.”

Bringing AI to the masses

SAS is democratising AI by offering out-of-the-box, lightweight AI models – making AI accessible regardless of skill set – starting with an AI assistant for warehouse space optimisation. Leveraging technology like large language models, these assistants cater to nontechnical users, translating interactions into optimised workflows seamlessly and aiding in faster planning decisions.

Sgvalo said: “SAS Models provide organisations with flexible, timely and accessible AI that aligns with industry challenges.

“Whether you’re embarking on your AI journey or seeking to accelerate the expansion of AI across your enterprise, SAS offers unparalleled depth and breadth in addressing your business’s unique needs.”

The first SAS Models are expected to be generally available later this year.

Want to learn more about AI and big data from industry leaders? Check out AI & Big Data Expo taking place in Amsterdam, California, and London. The comprehensive event is co-located with other leading events including BlockX, Digital Transformation Week, and Cyber Security & Cloud Expo.

Explore other upcoming enterprise technology events and webinars powered by TechForge here.

The post SAS aims to make AI accessible regardless of skill set with packaged AI models appeared first on AI News.

Using AI in gambling experiences opens up new dimensions of interactivity and engagement. AI algorithms can optimise live dealer games, making them more responsive and adaptable to player preferences. 

Enhanced personalisation and user experience

Artificial Intelligence has significantly altered the landscape of online gambling, offering a more personalised gaming experience. The technology analyses player behaviour, preferences, and playing patterns, tailoring game recommendations accordingly. 

The adaptive approach allows AI to refine its suggestions continuously, ensuring each player’s experience is unique and aligned with their interests.

The algorithms employed in this process are sophisticated and capable of understanding nuanced player preferences. As players engage with various games, AI observes and learns, making adjustments to recommendations based on evolving playing styles or interests. 

As a result, players get a more streamlined and enjoyable gaming experience, as they are presented with games that closely match their preferences.

Intelligence in marketing and profit management

AI has revolutionised marketing strategies within the gambling industry. It enables operators to analyse the most popular games and identify underperforming machines. AI helps craft effective marketing campaigns and maximise profits by understanding player preferences. For example, targeted welcome offers and free spins attract new players and retain existing ones.

Furthermore, AI-driven casino analytics assist operators in identifying low-profit games, enabling them to make informed decisions about technological adjustments to improve revenues.

Rewards-based system intelligence

Online gambling algorithms also play a crucial role in managing loyalty programs. AI enables operators to tailor VIP rewards based on player activity, enhancing customer retention. By analysing player behaviour, casinos can adjust reward levels and make VIP tiers more attainable or desirable, increasing player satisfaction and loyalty.

Security and fraud detection

The use of AI in the online gambling sector marks a pivotal shift in how security is managed and maintained. AI, especially through machine learning algorithms, has emerged as a formidable tool in enhancing the security of these platforms, addressing a spectrum of challenges that were previously difficult to manage.

Machine learning algorithms, a core component of AI, excel in detecting anomalies in betting patterns, which is crucial in identifying and preventing fraudulent activities. These algorithms analyse vast amounts of data in real-time, learning from player behaviours to identify patterns that deviate from the norm.

Game development and innovation

In game development, AI is enhancing existing games and also aiding in creating new ones. Developers use AI to generate dynamic content, adjust game difficulty in real-time based on player performance, and test new game mechanics. It results in more engaging and versatile games, offering a level of personalisation and dynamism previously unattainable​​.

The technological revolution is not just confined to digital gaming platforms but extends to options for live play, enhancing real-time gambling experiences in ways previously unimagined.

Conclusion

The impact of AI on the gambling industry is both extensive and multifaceted. From enhancing user experiences through personalisation to bolstering security, AI’s role in this sector is undeniably transformative. However, it is crucial to navigate the ethical and practical challenges AI poses to ensure its integration benefits all stakeholders in the gambling industry. 

(Photo by Erik Mclean on Unsplash)

The post How will AI impact the gambling industry? appeared first on AI News.

At the core of DEPT®’s approach is the strategic utilisation of large language models. Briski articulated the delicate balance between the ‘pioneering’ and ’boutique’ ethos encapsulated in their tagline, “pioneering work on a global scale with a boutique culture.”

While ‘pioneering’ and ’boutique’ evokes innovation and personalised attention, ‘global scale’ signifies the broad outreach. DEPT® harnesses large language models to disseminate highly targeted, personalised messages to expansive audiences. These models, Briski pointed out, enable DEPT® to comprehend individuals at a massive scale and foster meaningful and individualised interactions.

“The way that we have been using a lot of these large language models is really to deliver really small and targeted messages to a large audience,” says Briski.

However, the integration of AI into various domains – such as retail, sports, education, and healthcare – poses both opportunities and challenges. DEPT® navigates this complexity by leveraging generative AI and large language models trained on diverse datasets, including vast repositories like Wikipedia and the Library of Congress.

Briski emphasised the importance of marrying pre-trained data with DEPT®’s domain expertise to ensure precise contextual responses. This approach guarantees that clients receive accurate and relevant information tailored to their specific sectors.

“The pre-training of these models allows them to really expound upon a bunch of different domains,” explains Briski. “We can be pretty sure that the answer is correct and that we want to either send it back to the client or the consumer or some other system that is sitting in front of the consumer.”

One of DEPT®’s standout achievements lies in its foray into the web3 space and the metaverse. Briski shared the company’s collaboration with Roblox, a platform synonymous with interactive user experiences. DEPT®’s collaboration with Roblox revolves around empowering users to create and enjoy user-generated content at an unprecedented scale. 

DEPT®’s internal project, Prepare to Pioneer, epitomises its commitment to innovation by nurturing embryonic ideas within its ‘Greenhouse’. DEPT® hones concepts to withstand the rigours of the external world, ensuring only the most robust ideas reach their clients.

“We have this internal project called The Greenhouse where we take these seeds of ideas and try to grow them into something that’s tough enough to handle the external world,” says Briski. “The ones that do survive are much more ready to use with our clients.”

While the allure of AI-driven solutions is undeniable, Briski underscored the need for caution. He warns that AI is not inherently transparent and trustworthy and emphasises the imperative of constructing robust foundations for quality assurance.

DEPT® employs automated testing to ensure responses align with expectations. Briski also stressed the importance of setting stringent parameters to guide AI conversations, ensuring alignment with the company’s ethos and desired consumer interactions.

“It’s important to really keep focused on the exact conversation you want to have with your consumer or your customer and put really strict guardrails around how you would like the model to answer those questions,” explains Briski.

In December, DEPT® is sponsoring AI & Big Data Expo Global and will be in attendance to share its unique insights. Briski is a speaker at the event and will be providing a deep dive into business intelligence (BI), illuminating strategies to enhance responsiveness through large language models.

“I’ll be diving into how we can transform BI to be much more responsive to the business, especially with the help of large language models,” says Briski.

As DEPT® continues to redefine digital paradigms, we look forward to observing how the company’s innovations deliver a new era in AI-powered experiences.

DEPT® is a key sponsor of this year’s AI & Big Data Expo Global on 30 Nov – 1 Dec 2023. Swing by DEPT®’s booth to hear more about AI and LLMs from the company’s experts and watch Briski’s day one presentation.

The post Bob Briski, DEPT®:  A dive into the future of AI-powered experiences appeared first on AI News.

Gaming QA testers regularly come under fire as bug-riddled games reach the hands of disappointed gamers with seemingly increasing prevalence.

The backlash QA testers receive from frustrated gamers is often misplaced. Managers are often aware that games are full of bugs but decide to release unfinished games anyway in the hope of starting to recoup development costs.

However, proper QA testing is a time-consuming and resource-intensive process. On the PAX stage, Booty explained how a game needs to be re-tested from start to finish whenever a feature is added.

“Some of the processes that we have [currently] haven’t really kept up with how quickly we can make content. One of those is testing,” Booty said.

“There’s a lot going on with AI and ML right now, and people using AI to generate all these images. What I always say when I bump into the AI folks, is: ‘Help me figure out how to use an AI bot to go test a game.’”

If bugs can be caught earlier in the development process, they have a greater chance of being fixed prior to management feeling the financial pressure to send the game to market regardless.

The full ‘Storytime with Matt Booty’ talk can be viewed here. At around 01:02:00, you can hear Booty explain his vision for AI in game testing.

“I would love to be able to start up ten thousand instances of a game in the cloud – so there are ten thousand copies of the game running – deploy an AI bot to spend all night testing that game, and in the morning we get a report. That would be transformational,” explains Booty.

Booty’s core idea of improving QA testing with AI is solid. However, the way it was presented – of replacing human testers – may not go down too well. Mistreatment of QA testers in the gaming industry has led to a growing call for their members to unionise.

(Photo by Jose Gil on Unsplash)

Want to learn more about AI and big data from industry leaders? Check out AI & Big Data Expo taking place in Amsterdam, California, and London.

Explore other upcoming enterprise technology events and webinars powered by TechForge here.

The post Xbox’s Matt Booty wants to see QA testers replaced by AI appeared first on AI News.

The startup has attracted interest for its ability to design and deploy interactive characters with more realistic interactions across the metaverse and other virtual words like video games.

In current video games, NPCs have pre-scripted responses. AI-powered virtual characters like those Inworld are developing can offer dynamic responses to general questions about the local area or wider world.

While graphics have generally become more immersive over the years, interactions have largely remained the same. The ability for NPCs to hold conversations more naturally will be a giant leap forward for gaming and help to deliver on the metaverse’s bold promises.

Inworld’s potentially key role in the future of the metaverse and gaming market – which is already worth hundreds of billions of dollars – has opened investors’ wallets.

Since it left stealth last year, Inworld has raised $70 million. In March, it raised $10 million in a strategic funding round.

Inworld was also notably included in the latest Disney Accelerator cohort which also included blockchain network Polygon, NFT platform Flickplay, AR hardware and interface developer Red 6, metaverse e-commerce platform Obsess, and immersive experience provider Lockerverse.

“I’ve long believed that interactions, memories, and connections formed in immersive worlds can become as real as those formed in real life. It’s why I’m excited about being named a Disney Accelerator company,” wrote Inworld AI CEO Ilya Gelfenbeyn in a LinkedIn post about the accelerator.

“Our platform for creating memorable, AI-powered characters will unlock new opportunities for creators in entertainment, gaming, the metaverse, and other digital realms who are ready to create memories like mine.”

Inworld Studio launched in beta a few months ago. The no-code system works with most common game and metaverse engines, including Unreal and unity.

“It’s crazy to think that Inworld was founded just 13 months ago. Since then, we raised two seed rounds, were selected for the Disney Accelerator, launched the beta version of our product, and now, closed our Series A!” wrote Gelfenbeyn in a blog post.

“It’s been impressive to see our community bring characters to life with AI. I know the best is yet to come.”

(Image Credit: Inworld)

Want to learn more about AI and big data from industry leaders? Check out AI & Big Data Expo taking place in Amsterdam, California, and London.

Explore other upcoming enterprise technology events and webinars powered by TechForge here.

The post Inworld closes $50M Series A for its realistic NPC generator appeared first on AI News.

The robot, which uses AI to play three chess games at once, grabbed and pinched the child’s finger. Unfortunately, despite several people rushing to help, the robot broke the kid’s finger:

According to Moscow Chess Federation VP Sergey Smagin, the robot has been used for 15 years and this is the first time such an incident has occurred.

Reports suggest the robot expects its human rival to leave a set amount of time after it makes its play. The child played too quickly and the robot didn’t know how to handle the situation.

“There are certain safety rules and the child, apparently, violated them. When he made his move, he did not realise he first had to wait,” Smagin said. “This is an extremely rare case, the first I can recall.”

It doesn’t paint Russia’s robotics scene in the best light and it’s quite surprising the story even made it out of the country’s notorious censorship.

Fortunately, the child’s finger has been put in a cast and he is expected to make a quick and complete recovery. There doesn’t appear to be any lasting mental trauma either as he played again the next day.

A study in 2015 found that one person is killed each year by an industrial robot in the US alone. As robots become ever more prevalent in our work and personal lives; that number is likely to increase.

Most injuries and fatalities with robots are from human error, so it’s always worth being cautious.

(Photo by GR Stocks on Unsplash)

Want to learn more about AI and big data from industry leaders? Check out AI & Big Data Expo taking place in Amsterdam, California, and London.

Explore other upcoming enterprise technology events and webinars powered by TechForge here.

The post Chess robot breaks child’s finger after premature move appeared first on AI News.

Video games have pioneered AI developments since Nim was released in 1951. In the decades since, game developers have worked to improve AIs to provide a more enjoyable experience for a growing number of people around the world.

Just imagine the horror if those developers found out their work was instead being used for real military purposes without their knowledge. That’s exactly what developers behind the popular Unity game engine discovered.

According to a Vice report, three former and current Unity employees confirmed that much of the company’s contract work is to do with AI programming. That’s of little surprise and wouldn’t be of too much concern if it wasn’t conducted under the “GovTech” department with seemingly a high degree of secrecy.

“It should be very clear when people are stepping into the military initiative part of Unity,” one of Vice’s sources said, on condition of anonymity for fear of reprisal.

Vice discovered several deals with the Department of Defense, including two six-figure contracts for “modeling and simulation prototypes” with the US Air Force.

Unity bosses clearly understand that some employees may not be entirely comfortable with knowing their work could be used for war. One memo instructs managers to use the terms “government” or “defense” instead of “military.”

In an internal Slack group, Unity CEO John Riccitello promised to have a meeting with employees.

“Whether or not I’m working directly for the government team, I’m empowering the products they’re selling,” wrote Riccitello. “Do you want to use your tools to catch bad guys?”

That question is likely to receive some passionate responses. After all, few of us are going to forget the backlash and subsequent resignation of Googlers following revelations about the company’s since-revoked ‘Project Maven’ contract with the Pentagon.

You can find Vice’s full report here.

(Photo by Levi Meir Clancy on Unsplash)

Find out more about Digital Transformation Week North America, taking place on 9-10 November 2021, a virtual event and conference exploring advanced DTX strategies for a ‘digital everything’ world.

The post Unity devs aren’t too happy their work is being sold for military AI purposes appeared first on AI News.