Decentraland, a popular Ethereum-based metaverse game, has found a way to inject more life into its virtual world with the help of artificial intelligence. Through a collaboration with AI startup Inworld, Decentraland has introduced AI-powered non-player characters (NPCs) to enhance the interactive experience for players. These NPCs, or avatars, serve as a supporting cast within the game, allowing players to engage with them and receive responses to their queries.
At Decentraland’s Genesis Plaza, three NPCs have already been introduced. Simone the Robot is an information-based avatar that can provide insights and engage in discussions about the metaverse. The meme-inspired character Doge brings a lighthearted touch to the virtual world, while Aisha, a gaming streamer and former skater, comes with her own background and opinions.
What sets these NPCs apart is their ability to understand and respond to a wide range of queries, making conversations with them feel more natural and immersive. By giving creators the opportunity to design their own NPCs, Inworld allows for the customization of dialogues, personalities, and even contextual information and backstories. This brings a new level of depth and personalization to the game.
Furthermore, the integration of AI technology in Decentraland goes beyond enhancing the player experience. The Decentraland Foundation, which oversees the development of the game, utilizes OpenAI’s ChatGPT to summarize lengthy development documents, ensuring that the team stays focused on the big picture. Additionally, generative AI tools are employed for concept art, audio, and animation, which aids in marketing and content creation.
While AI has its advantages, there are concerns regarding the potential for mediocre experiences and the displacement of human creators. Decentraland’s executive director, Yemel Jardi, acknowledges these risks but emphasizes that AI technology should be leveraged to empower creators rather than replace them. The goal is to make Decentraland accessible to a wider audience by streamlining the content creation process and inspiring creators to push the boundaries of what is possible.
Decentraland’s partnership with Inworld and its integration of AI-powered NPCs demonstrates the potential for AI to transform the metaverse experience. As the virtual world continues to evolve, the use of AI technology holds promise for creating more immersive and dynamic environments that cater to the diverse interests and preferences of players.
FAQ
1. What is a metaverse?
A metaverse refers to a virtual reality space where users can interact with computer-generated environments and other users in real time.
2. What are NPCs?
NPCs, or non-player characters, are characters within a video game or virtual world that are controlled by artificial intelligence rather than by a human player. They often serve various roles within the game, such as providing information, offering quests, or acting as opponents.
3. How does AI enhance the metaverse experience?
AI technology in the metaverse can enhance the experience by creating more realistic and interactive NPCs, providing personalized and immersive conversations, and enabling creators to generate content more easily.
4. What are the concerns regarding the use of AI in the metaverse?
Concerns include the potential for mediocre experiences created by AI tools, the displacement of human creators, and issues of plagiarism when generating content. However, proponents argue that AI empowers creators and has the potential to streamline the content creation process.
5. How is Decentraland using AI beyond NPCs?
Decentraland utilizes AI technology for summarizing development documents, creating concept art and audio, and exploring the potential for creators to generate 3D models. The aim is to make the content creation process more efficient and accessible.