Ubisoft Unveils Revolutionary NEO NPC AI Prototypes at GDC 2024

At the recent GDC 2024, Ubisoft presented three exclusive demos that showcased the potential of AI in creating non-player characters (NPCs). Dubbed NEO NPCs, this innovative project combines AI responses with narrative backstories and prompts to create more realistic and engaging interactions. The goal is to avoid making NPCs appear soulless and instead, create meaningful connections with players. The project is led by Ubisoft's Paris team in collaboration with the Production Technology department, and all three experiments utilized voice commands to facilitate interactions. The first demo allowed players to build a relationship with an NPC named Bloom, who responded to questions and emotions, enabling players to learn more about his backstory and the resistance group they were part of. The objective was to enhance narrative immersion, and as players progressed, they could unlock more behaviors and deepen their connection with Bloom. The second experiment featured Bloom watching a stealth mission with a drone, where he reacted to events and responded to player input while prioritizing critical moments in the gameplay. The final demo involved planning a stealth mission with an NPC named Iron, who suggested approaches and responded to player feedback, ensuring the conversation remained relevant to the task at hand. According to Xavier Manzanares, the project director, the team aimed to create a more meaningful interaction between players and NPCs by focusing on awareness, natural language, and emotional depth. By doing so, they avoided simply integrating a broad language model into the NPCs, instead opting for a more nuanced approach. Manzanares emphasized that GenAI is a tool that requires connection to design and a team that wants to push the boundaries of what is possible. The team prioritized the benefits for both creators and players, taking a careful and deliberate approach to ensure the best possible outcome. Narrative director Virginie Mosser shared her experience working on the project, stating that it has allowed her to create more profound and nuanced characters, giving them a soul and depth that was previously unattainable. Manzanares concluded that this could be the start of a significant paradigm shift in the gaming industry, where game worlds can listen to and respond to players in a more dynamic and immersive way, enabling the creation of more engaging stories and gameplay experiences.