Side, a seasoned services provider formerly known as PTW, has entered into a six‑month memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Denmark‑based artificial‑intelligence specialist Modl.ai. The agreement sets the stage for a joint effort to build an AI‑powered quality‑assurance (QA) platform that blends Side’s deep testing expertise with Modl.ai’s cutting‑edge machine‑learning technology. Modl.ai, a relatively new player in the gaming sector, was founded in 2018 and secured $1.7 million in seed capital two years later.
While the company has already experimented with AI‑enabled QA tools, earlier versions required developers to hand over entire game builds or even source code, creating friction and limiting scalability. According to Modl.ai founder Christoffer Holmgard, the new approach eliminates the need for internal access. "We treat the product exactly as you would hand it to a QA tester or eventually to a consumer," he explains.
"The game runs on a comparable device, our system watches the screen, simulates key inputs, records everything that happens, and then hands the data to a second AI layer that flags potential bugs and escalates them for human review." The workflow begins with what Modl.ai calls "building game knowledge." Developers upload assets, design documents, screenshots, and even converse with the AI using natural‑language prompts. This conversational interface allows the system to develop a contextual understanding of the title without ever seeing the underlying code. Once the AI has a baseline model of the game, developers specify the testing objectives—ranging from classic test cases to novel scenarios that play to the strengths of the AI.
Human expertise remains essential at this stage. Holmgard notes that crafting effective prompts and guiding the AI’s language model requires seasoned QA insight. "You need the right phrasing to make the AI do what you intend," he says.
After the AI runs a "session"—the term Modl.ai uses for a test execution—it produces a comprehensive bug report that includes textual descriptions, video snippets as evidence, and full log data. These artifacts are then passed to a human QA specialist who validates the findings, determines severity, and decides the next steps in the production pipeline. One of the perennial challenges in game testing is distinguishing a genuine defect from an intended feature. The system learns from the feedback loop: testers label each report as a bug, a non‑bug, or a feature, and over time the AI refines its judgment.
"Prompting, pre‑built game knowledge, and continuous human feedback together teach the model the nuances of game design," Holmgard explains. Side sees the partnership as a way to elevate its workforce. Chief Commercial Officer Martin McBride envisions QA staff transitioning into "AI engineers," moving up the value chain and gaining higher‑paying, more strategic roles.
"Instead of a career that stops at senior tester, our people can become AI specialists, which lets us bring jobs back to regions where low‑cost testing has been outsourced," he says. The AI handles repetitive, low‑level tests—such as smoke checks for each new build—freeing human testers to focus on strategic analysis, creative testing, and deeper gameplay evaluation. Modl.ai’s Chief Product Officer Benedikte Mikkelsen echoes this sentiment, noting that many current tests are monotonous and could be automated. "If a tester no longer has to repeat the same flow hundreds of times, they can spend time assessing gameplay feel or devising innovative test scenarios," she adds, highlighting the value proposition of AI‑augmented QA.
Both leaders stress that AI will not replace human QA workers but will act as a catalyst for career growth. McBride points out that testing costs remain low in certain countries, making a full AI takeover economically impractical.
By equipping testers with advanced tools, Side can retain talent longer and offer more fulfilling career paths. The partnership also adopts a philosophical stance on automation. McBride describes AI as a "sliding scale" where a human is always present in the loop. "That’s our ethos," he says.
"The AI reduces tedious work and human error, allowing us to raise the overall quality of the process." Regarding the types of games the solution currently supports, Side’s Chief Operating Officer Oliver Deslandes is candid: the technology is best suited for simpler titles—puzzle games, card games, and other experiences with repeatable mechanics—not for fast‑paced 3D open‑world or fighting games, which remain a longer‑term goal. "We are looking for partners willing to pilot the technology and understand that results will improve over time," Deslandes notes.
In summary, the Side‑Modl.ai MOU represents a strategic blend of human expertise and artificial intelligence aimed at reshaping game QA. By automating repetitive testing, providing richer bug documentation, and creating pathways for testers to become AI engineers, the collaboration aspires to deliver higher‑quality games while fostering new career opportunities within the industry. The journey is just beginning, but early pilots will reveal how far the AI can push the boundaries of quality assurance in gaming.