What is AI? How is it Changing the PC and Gaming Industry?

Artificial Intelligence has become a fundamental aspect of our lives. From the videos we watch, the questions we ask Alexa, to the video games we immerse ourselves in, AI is responsible for them all. The way in which we use AI is consistently expanding as it becomes more powerful. The question is, how is this changing the PC and gaming industry?

Are games becoming more realistic or losing their immersion? Is PC hardware changing with the rise of AI? We’re taking a deep dive into artificial intelligence and how its development is altering the industry.

What is AI?

First up, what exactly is AI?

AI or artificial intelligence refers to a machine’s ability to perform similar cognitive functions as the human brain. This ranges from learning, reasoning, interacting with the environment, to problem-solving, and much more.

The most well-known AIs include Alexa, ChatGPT, and Telsa’s range of intelligent self-driving cars. All of which have been created to actively respond to the environment around them, whether this is your voice, a prompt, or a danger on the road.

A typical AI utilises either machine or deep learning.

Machine Learning is based on algorithms that have been trained on data. These AIs can detect patterns and learn how to make predictions or recommendations by processing your data and experiences. This allows them to quickly adapt to new information to deliver more accurate recommendations. Alternatively, deep learning can process a wider range of data in comparison. This includes simultaneously storing and processing images and videos.

How is AI Changing the Industry?

Now that we’ve covered the basics of what artificial intelligence is, how is it being used in video games, creative tools, and hardware?

AI in Gaming:

Game AI differs slightly from the traditional artificial intelligence we see in Alexa or ChatGPT.

Instead of a focus on decision-making or learning, Game AI has been designed with the player in mind. Everything Game AI does is to improve players’ overall gaming experience, whether this is creating realistic NPCs (Non-Playable Characters), complex stories, or vibrant in-game environments.

Some of the most popular video games that feature or have been developed using artificial intelligence include:

Rocket League
Minecraft
The Sims
Half-Life
Baldur’s Gate 3
Halo: Combat Evolved

The way in which artificial intelligence has been used in video games has changed with the rise of the gaming industry. Originally it was utilised to develop AI-controlled opponents. Today AI is used for everything from creating NPCs to adaptive gameplay, and worlds.

The use of AI-controlled opponents is still seen in a multitude of different genres, especially FPS titles. Games such as ‘Overwatch’ continue to feature a dedicated mode versus AI opponents that you can use to practice your skills or try out a new character you’ve not played before.

Whilst this is a staple in most FPS games now, it wasn’t until the arcade game, ‘Space Invaders’ first popularised how artificial intelligence could be used as an in-game opponent. In ‘Space Invaders’ the in-game AI features an increasing difficulty level, distinct movement patterns, and in-game events that all depend on the player’s actions.

In addition to this, artificial intelligence has revolutionised the way developers create their NPCs. Utilising intelligent algorithms, decision trees, and pathfinding, NPCs are now more responsive, adaptive, and capable of demonstrating real-life behaviours. This only benefits the players as it adds extra depth and complexity to the game, further heightening your immersion in the gaming world. In fact, dedicated AI technologies are now being made to improve how developers can make NPCs. NVIDIA recently revealed ACE (Avatar Cloud Engine), an AI service that can be used to create customised natural conversations and animations to add further realism to in-game characters.

What’s more, due to the huge increase in AI capabilities, developers can now use facial recognition software and deep fake technology alongside AI. This allows the in-game AI to now recognise and use different faces that it has previously scanned, along with creating realistic 3D models that the AI can acknowledge. This opens so many new possibilities, including the chance for AI to be further developed to both recognise, scan, and create buildings or even vibrant landscapes.

New releases can be plagued by pesky bugs that can make or break a game. However, developers can now utilise artificial intelligence to simulate hundreds of in-game scenarios in order to locate any hidden bugs and optimise the mechanics.

In addition to changing the way developers create and test games, AI can prove advantageous even after the game has been released. In fact, artificial intelligence can be used to detect cheating in multiplayer games by analysing the patterns of player movements.

To enhance player experiences and immersion in games, more manufacturers are creating their own AI-powered display technologies, such as NVIDIA AI DLSS 3.0. Built into all NVIDIA RTX 40 Series, this technology effectively upscales and renders all your images and videos in crisp high definition with ultra-fast response times and frame rates. All of which boost your gaming experience as you won’t have to worry about stuttering frame rates or distorted images breaking up your immersion.

The future of AI in gaming is bright, with artificial intelligence growing more powerful and accessible to game developers. One of the future AI innovations that we hope to see in the video game industry includes voice recognition. Audio recognition allows players to control any gestures, monitor the controls, and even side-line the role of a controller, ultimately making games more accessible to a wider range of players.

AI in Creative Work:

It’s not just gamers that benefit from the rise of artificial intelligence. In fact, AI-powered creative tools can revolutionise the way professionals work, allowing them to streamline their workloads and productivity.

AI has been integrated into our work, creative, and design tools for years. Everyone’s favourite retired automated assistant, Clippy, is an example of how Microsoft first implemented artificial intelligence into Microsoft Word. Clippy would pop up, offer helpful prompts on how to create your document, and spot any spelling mistakes you’d missed.

Since Clippy, AI creative tools have become more intelligent. In fact, you’ve most likely used an AI without even realising.

Specifically, any integrated spelling and grammar check software utilises artificial intelligence. For example, Grammarly’s intelligent spelling, grammar, and tone writing tool. Their dedicated GrammarlyGO is an AI-powered assistant designed to use a form of generative artificial intelligence to create suggestions, prompts, and help, all based around your preferred writing style. You can customise GrammarlyGO’s suggestions by altering your primary writing style, choosing from casual, formal, or neutral.

Plus, GrammarlyGO can also be given simple text prompts on what you wish to write, and the AI will draft it for you.

Another form of generative AI is ChatGPT. ChatGPT can be used to create virtually anything from a text prompt. This includes code, stories, and even poetry.

For designers and artists, Adobe Photoshop’s Generative Fill utilises a generation of AI models to add, extend, and remove content from your images or even help you to create them from scratch. You can seamlessly use this AI-powered tool alongside all your other editing software to heighten your productivity.

What’s more, NVIDIA Canvas, one of the creative tools from NVIDIA Studio, features an intelligent AI to easily transform your sketches and scribbles into stunning realistic landscapes and images.

Read more about NVIDIA Studio and it’s AI-powered creative tools in our dedicated blog article.

AI in Computers:

In addition to all of this, artificial intelligence is also revolutionising the way in which we create PC hardware and even mobile phones.

Most operating systems or web browsers feature their own form of AI-powered search. In fact, Microsoft has made the move to add ChatGPT in the latest update to Windows 11 via their new integrated Bing search tool. With more forms of generative AI being added to PCs, will this change the way we use our computers?

Typically, a PC is command driven. You have to use a keyboard and mouse in order to specify what you want to see on screen. However, with the increased addition of generative AI, most of which utilise voice recognition, will our PCs one day be able to respond to our voice prompts? For example, if you wish to open your favourite game to start playing, all you’ll need to do is ask your gaming PC.

In addition to this, the rise in artificial intelligence is creating demand for a whole new market of dedicated AI computer chips. The standard AI system currently harnesses both a processor and graphics card that have originally been designed for gaming. However, as AI algorithms and capabilities are becoming more complex, the demand for hardware that can keep up with this is growing. In fact, certain AI chip manufacturers are moving to create a market that consists of three dedicated chips. This includes:

A GPU to design, develop, and train intelligent AI algorithms
FPGAs (Field Programmable Gate Arrays) to apply these trained algorithms to new data inputs
ASICs (Application Specific Integrated Circuits) to train any AI-powered applications

It’s not just PC hardware that is seeing this demand for AI chips. More mobile manufacturers are now utilising AI-specific calculations to deliver enhanced efficiency and ultra-fast speeds. The latest Google Pixel, for example, features their TPU (Tensor Processing Unit) a dedicated AI chip that sits alongside the processor. This AI chip is responsible for running any machine-learning models on the Pixel, including the camera or voice recognition tools. This frees up the main processor to deliver maximum performance during demanding tasks, such as gaming or live streaming.

In the End… Is AI Good or Bad?

Ultimately, artificial intelligence has provided the gaming industry with hundreds of benefits and even revolutionised the way in which we game and create content. Whilst we’ve covered all the reasons why AI is good for the gaming industry, is it bad for the future of PC gaming and hardware?

The advancements of AI mean that game developers have less control. Artificial intelligence is taking over the role of the developer in many aspects of game building, including crafting NPCs and world building. However, this may mean we see a shift away from well-constructed vibrant worlds and storylines that feature a unique human touch. What’s more, there is also an increased chance for more pesky problems to occur. Strange AI-controlled opponents could become a common sight in games, and they definitely impact our immersion.

Whilst artificial intelligence is powerful, the technology behind it isn’t always perfect. In the infamous Grand Theft Auto Trilogy remaster, the games were all plagued by some bad AI-powered upscaling. Iconic stores in ‘GTA: Vice City’ appeared completely different from the original, with the AI swapping out words for others, completely removing of the classic fan-favourite jokes. These blunders prove that AI isn’t always the right tool to use, unless you want a big sign with ‘AR guitar’ on it…

Using AI could potentially make or break future game releases. Poorly constructed storylines and worlds, along with problematic bugs, won’t attract the vital players’ developers need and may even result in their game going down in history as missing the mark completely.

However, can our games really survive without AI? Artificial Intelligence has made it even easier for developers to create their games. With AI taking over and doing difficult tasks such as pathfinding or scripting NPCs, it frees up more precious time for developers to create the fundamental building blocks of a great game.

If we didn’t utilise artificial intelligence in the gaming and PC industry, we’d miss out on ground-breaking features such as DLSS and popular games like Red Dead Redemption 2 and the Metal Gear Solid franchise.

In addition to this, we’ve all used some form of artificial intelligence to streamline our workloads. Whether it’s a spell checker like Grammarly, a text prompt tool like ChatGPT, or one of Photoshop’s integrated AI-powered features, artificial intelligence can greatly boost our productivity. We don’t need to spend hours scouring the internet or a Dictionary to ensure our work isn’t plagued by common mistakes or spelling errors. What’s more, if you are completely new to coding, then you can lean on tools such as ChatGPT whilst you come to grips with the basics.

No matter how you use a handy AI tool, we simply can’t deny that they are incredibly useful for streamlining workloads, boosting productivity, and even teaching us new crucial skills.

Artificial intelligence is continuously growing, becoming more intelligent, and being used across multiple different industries. Game AI, powerful creative tools, and dedicated chips won’t be the end of AI in the PC and gaming industry. It all depends on if the developers, manufacturers, and players are ready to embrace the huge benefits AI can bring.

Experience All Your Favourite AI-Powered Games!

Whether you believe AI is a good or bad thing for the gaming industry, you can sit back and enjoy playing all your favourite AI-powered games on any of our high-quality gaming PCs or laptops. We’ve included our top recommendations down below, just in case you’re due for an upgrade.