There’s no shortage of takes out there about how AI is going to change the way that the games industry works, but relatively little ink has been spilled about how generative models might embolden its darkest tendencies.
Speaking to Reviews.org, GYLD CEO Emre Deniz said that many generative AI games and companies are “being juvenile” and “fundamentally” do not understand what they are playing with when it comes to generative AI and what it can do.
He described the recent tech showcases by publishers like EA as “extremely basic” function calling.
In contrast, Deniz said that the real harm is that “all of these tools – all of these generative models – have the power to influence people’s behaviors.”
Game designers have long relied on insights from behavioral science in order to make gameplay loops more “sticky” or fun to play. However, the same kind of psychological tricks can also be used to spice up monetisation strategies in a way that’s decried by critics, consumers and regulators as predatory.
The line between these practices and those found in the world of gambling companies or social media giants like Meta is a very blurry one. These days, dark patterns are such a concern for consumers that you can find information about them on government websites.
If you've not come across the term before, dark patterns are the catch-all term used to describe the subtle tactics that are used by websites, apps and games that nudge you towards spending money when you probably don't need to.
“We put mechanisms in games on the basis of behavioral sciences and psychology to compel players to spend more money, to compel players to spend more money, to get addicted, to be completely consumed by video games,” Deniz explained.
He fears that AI will not just advance what’s possible in this field but accelerate it at scale in a way that legislation will struggle to keep up with.
“We don’t have decades to figure out legislation about how generative models can be paired with dark design patterns,” he warned.
Fortunately, in some respects, the uneven economics of the gaming industry might be its saving grace.
“If you know how to build this stuff at a low-code level, working as an engineer at a game company is probably the least lucrative thing you can do,” he said.
More broadly, Deniz said that there needs to be a lot more accountability “about these things and how the harm filters out into society.”
In the world where there isn't, he expects the growing conversation about the impact that video games have on society is going to get much worse before it gets better.
“When generative NPCs as a concept comes into the market, I think that criticisms of video games and their impact on society is going to get completely out of control,” he predicted.
Tech demos like those shown off by Nvidia in January 2024 might excite the imaginations of those eager for a more immersive gaming experience. At the same time, it's hard not to worry about the unexpected consequences that might come of it.
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