Ubisoft has been working on an NPC project that uses generative AI technology to create realistic conversations within video games. The NEO NPC prototype was revealed during the Game Developers Conference in 2024 but the announcement was met with controversy. Several social media users deemed the project to be soulless and uninteresting, arguing that gaming is about experiencing art made by human beings.
Despite the criticism, Ubisoft defended its decision, stating that the company always works with both players and developers in mind. Senior vice president of production technology, Guillemette Picard, argued that generative AI is only valuable if it is of value for the game developers. The company used narrative directors and writers to train the AI over the past 18 months in order to “impersonate” a character. However, Ubisoft made it clear that these characters do not have free will but rather exist to play a role in a story.
The AI also comes with filters to filter out toxic or offensive language. The company believes that for believable character expression, human voice actors are necessary. To have a character who is expressive, you need an actor who is as well, according to data scientist Mélanie Lopez Malet. Ubisoft has confirmed that work still needs to be done before AI-powered NPCs can be implemented in games.
Actor Samantha Beart, who has worked on games such as Baldur’s Gate 3, expressed concerns about the rise of automation in gaming. She argued that if AI goes unchecked, it could replace the art created by human beings. Despite these concerns, Ubisoft is continuing its work to create the most realistic gaming experience for players
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