Key information
Sony has filed a patent titled "AI-adapted non-player character for video game system," which outlines a method for utilizing artificial intelligence to train NPCs based on data generated by players. Unlike Nvidia's ACE program that focuses on scripted dialogue via large language models, Sony's proposed system intends to modify various aspects of an NPC, ranging from its design to its behavior during scenarios such as boss fights.
According to the patent documentation, developing believable NPCs currently requires extensive scripting, programming, and hardware resources to track, animate, and evolve behaviors. Sony asserts that employing AI can overcome these challenges by seamlessly integrating lifelike characters that react to or exhibit player behaviors, thereby reducing development time and budgets.
As with many patents, there is no guarantee this specific system will appear on hardware such as the PlayStation 5 or PlayStation 6. The broader video game industry has experimented with similar concepts, such as Inzoi utilizing player input and large language models last year. Processing such models in the cloud could also introduce potential security risks regarding data leaks.
