AI-Powered Personalization: Customizing Gameplay for Individual Preferences

Artificial Intelligence has taken off over the past two years, largely thanks to the availability of programs like OpenAI and its ground-breaking ChatGPT platform. For the most part, people link AI with business, financial technology, and more nuanced topics like programming. However, AI is having a huge effect on the gaming industry and, specifically, personalization within games.

Even within the casino industry, companies are learning that personalization matters a lot to players. For example, Wildz online casino Canada was one of the first to incorporate machine learning to enhance its player experience. It uses machine-learning AI in order to provide personalized suggestions for loyalty members, including incentives and new game suggestions.

This has helped tailor the gaming experience for each player, minimizing the time they need to shop around for which game to play. Think of like Spotify’s ‘Recommended’ playlist—a feature that has made the streaming platform a hit.

But when it comes to AI-powered customization within games, this is just the tip of the iceberg. Let’s dive into three arenas in which algorithms are helping to steer personalization in games.

Though not quite as mainstream as open-world titles and FPS games, choose-your-own-adventure games have their own niche following. These games allow players to engage in an interactive narrative and even steer the game according to their choices. Clearly, things can get pretty complex for developers.

That’s why some are now using OpenAI to help steer the game. Based on a player’s past choices and the unfolding narrative, an algorithm will determine the best choices for them as the game advances and they’re able to make more decisions.

One of the longest-running jokes in the gaming industry has been the presence of NPCs. NPCs are non-playing characters, which, prior to the advent of AI, were given only the loosest semblance of relevance in a game. In other words, they tended to be rudimentary, ineffective, and often laughable.

However, AI is helping to turn this perception of NPCs around. First, developers are relying on increasingly complex algorithms to inform what NPCs are capable of doing. In the past, developers had to devote precious time and resources to creating believable NPCs. However, AI can now customize the NPC experience and tailor each non-playing character toward the player’s journey.

One of the clearest ways to gauge AI personalization within games is through the customization of avatars. In the past, players had incredibly limited choices when it comes to crafting avatars. However, as exemplified by programs like Midjourney, all players have to do now is upload a photo and let AI immortalize them as a digital character.

This might not seem like a hugely important consideration for some gamers. After all, those who compete in first-person perspective games don’t really see their characters that often. However, for players who enjoy third-person games, and especially casual titles like visual novels, personalization in avatars is extremely important. It helps them immerse themselves in the game and makes them feel like a part of it.