Your next best friend may be 100% AI w/ Purnendu Mukherjee
Jun 18, 2024
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Purnendu Mukherjee, CEO of Convai, discusses the evolution of AI NPCs in gaming and the potential impact of lifelike AI characters in both gaming and non-gaming scenarios. The conversation explores the authoring of AI-powered NPC experiences and the advancements in AI technology to create more human-like interactions.
Advancements in AI enable NPCs to offer dynamic, real-time responses in gaming worlds.
AI NPCs raise ethical concerns about player relationships and privacy, requiring a balance in engagement.
Deep dives
Evolution of NPC Interactions in Video Games
NPCs in video games have evolved from simple, scripted characters in text-based adventures to dynamic personalities like Cortana in Halo, providing more immersive experiences. With generative AI, NPCs can now react in real-time and offer more varied responses, enhancing interactions and game worlds' realism.
Future of AI NPCs and Human Engagement
Advancements in AI and generative technologies are enabling NPCs to have human-like conversational abilities, potentially forming long-term relationships with players. These lifelike AI characters, like those developed by Convey, offer immersive experiences in gaming and beyond, blurring the lines between virtual and real interactions.
Impacts and Ethical Considerations of Lifelike AI NPCs
The emergence of AI NPCs that closely resemble humans raises ethical questions about player relationships and AI behaviors. Decentralized technologies and confidential computing may ensure ownership and privacy in these AI interactions. Balancing engagement and ethical concerns is key as AI NPCs become more personalized and impactful in human experiences.
Non Player Characters --NPCs for short-- have always been a huge part of what makes video games engaging, from Cortana in Halo to Navi in The Legend of Zelda. But interactions with NPCs were always limited to a pre-written script. Until now. Purnendu Mukherjee is the CEO of Convai, a platform that enables developers to create NPCs with human-like conversational abilities. He joins Bilawal to chat about our evolving relationship with "AI characters” and what we gain and lose when our digital relationships are so life-like, it almost doesn’t matter who (or what) is on the other end.