Side, a veteran 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 commits the two organisations to co‑develop a quality‑assurance (QA) platform that leverages AI to augment traditional testing workflows while keeping human expertise at the core. Modl.ai, a relatively new player in the gaming sector, was founded in 2018 and secured $1.7 million in seed financing two years later.
Side brings decades of experience delivering outsourced services across the gaming pipeline, whereas Modl.ai contributes cutting‑edge machine‑learning models designed to spot bugs, regressions, and performance issues in video games. "The MOU effectively merges the strongest capabilities of Side with the most advanced AI technology from Modl.ai into a single, differentiated offering," explains Martin McBride, Side’s chief commercial officer. "The industry has been searching for a reliable, AI‑enhanced QA solution for years. We believe we have finally found it." Earlier AI‑driven QA tools—some of which were also created by Modl.ai—required developers to hand over entire game builds, source code, or SDK plugins to the testing vendor.
This "integration‑heavy" approach introduced considerable friction, as developers were forced to expose proprietary assets and maintain complex pipelines. According to Modl.ai founder Christoffer Holmgard, that model proved cumbersome and was eventually abandoned. The new system, Holmgard says, eliminates the need for any internal access.
"We treat the product exactly as you would hand it to a QA tester or, ultimately, to the consumer," he explains. "The game runs on a device that mirrors the end‑user hardware. Our AI watches the screen, simulates input, records every observable event, and then passes the resulting data set to a second AI layer that flags potential defects, escalates them to a human reviewer, and asks whether corrective action is warranted." The first phase of the workflow is what Modl.ai calls "building game knowledge." Developers upload assets, design documents, screenshots, and even converse with the AI in natural language to teach it the fundamentals of the title. "All interaction is plain English," Holmgard notes.
"You can chat about mechanics, show reference images, or feed in design specs, and the model builds a contextual understanding of the game world." Once the AI has a baseline comprehension, developers define test objectives. These can range from classic regression cases to novel scenarios specifically crafted to exploit the AI’s strengths. "Human expertise is still crucial at this stage," Holmgard adds.
"You need to phrase prompts correctly and guide the AI so it performs the right actions." During a test run, the system captures textual logs, short video clips (referred to as "evidence"), and comprehensive telemetry. This package is then handed to a seasoned QA specialist who validates the findings, decides on severity, and determines the next steps in the production pipeline. One persistent challenge for AI is distinguishing a genuine bug from an intentional game feature.
Holmgard says continuous feedback from human testers helps the model learn these subtleties over time. "Prompt engineering, pre‑built game knowledge, and iterative human feedback all combine to fine‑tune the AI’s judgment," he says. Side envisions this partnership reshaping the career trajectory of its QA staff.
Rather than remaining in purely manual testing roles, employees can evolve into "AI engineers," overseeing model training, prompt design, and result interpretation. McBride believes this shift will lift workers up the value chain, allowing higher compensation, new career pathways, and the potential to repatriate jobs to regions where low‑cost testing has previously driven outsourcing away. "When our people become AI engineers, we can bring them back to markets that lost jobs due to price pressure," he explains. The AI tool also promises to make QA work more rewarding by automating repetitive, low‑skill tasks.
"Every new build requires smoke tests, regression checks, and countless verification steps that can bog down a tester’s day," McBride says. "By offloading those to AI, our staff can focus on strategic analysis, creative testing, and higher‑order problem solving, leading to more fulfilling careers." Benedikte Mikkelsen, Modl.ai’s chief product officer, echoes this sentiment: "Many current tests are monotonous and can be executed by a machine without sacrificing quality.
That frees human testers to concentrate on gameplay feel, balance, and innovative testing approaches—exactly the value proposition we’re delivering." Both leaders stress that AI will never fully replace QA professionals. The price of manual testing in certain low‑cost regions remains so low that a complete AI takeover is economically impractical.
Instead, the technology serves as a force multiplier, extending the reach and efficiency of human teams. "There will always be a human in the loop," McBride affirms, describing this philosophy as Side’s core ethos.
"AI reduces tedium and human error, raising overall quality while keeping skilled people at the helm." When asked about the types of games the solution currently supports, Chief Operating Officer Oliver Deslandes notes that the platform is best suited for titles with relatively simple, repeatable mechanics—puzzle games, card games, and other low‑velocity experiences. Fast‑paced 3D open‑world or fighting games present additional challenges that the team plans to address in later phases. "We’re targeting clients willing to embark on this journey with us, even if they have modest expectations at first," Deslandes says.
"Pilot projects will reveal how the technology matures and where it can be expanded." In summary, the Side‑Modl.ai collaboration aims to blend AI’s speed and consistency with human insight, creating a hybrid QA ecosystem that improves defect detection, reduces repetitive workload, and opens new professional pathways for testers. The six‑month MOU marks the first step in a longer‑term effort to redefine quality assurance across the gaming industry.