Side, a long‑standing 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 develop an AI‑powered quality‑assurance (QA) platform that blends Side’s deep industry experience with Modl.ai’s cutting‑edge technology. 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. Its chief commercial officer at Side, Martin McBride, describes the partnership as a marriage of complementary strengths.
“The MOU essentially fuses the best of Side’s service pedigree with the most advanced AI capabilities Modl.ai brings,” he says. “Creating an AI‑augmented QA solution has been the holy grail for the games industry. Nobody has cracked it yet – we think we’re on the brink.” Earlier attempts at AI‑driven QA required developers to hand over full game builds or even source code to the testing vendor. Modl.ai’s previous offering relied on an integration model—a plugin and SDK that demanded deep access to the game’s internals.
This approach proved cumbersome and, as founder Christoffer Holmgard notes, “became difficult over time.” The new system eliminates the need for any internal code access. “We treat the product exactly as you would hand it to a QA tester or eventually to the consumer,” Holmgard explains. “You load the game on a device that is either identical to, or very similar to, the end‑user’s hardware.
Our solution then watches the screen, simulates key inputs, records every on‑screen event, and passes the resulting data set to a second AI layer that flags potential bugs. That layer escalates items it deems worthy to a human reviewer for final judgment.” The workflow begins with what Modl.ai calls building “game knowledge.” Developers upload assets, design documents, screenshots, and other relevant materials, then converse with the AI in plain language. “All of this happens in natural language,” Holmgard says. “You can chat with the system about your game, feed it images, upload design docs, and it gradually constructs an internal model of how your game works.” Once the AI has a baseline understanding, developers specify the testing scope.
This can range from traditional test cases to novel scenarios that are especially suited to AI analysis. Holmgard emphasizes the need for human insight at this stage: “You still need expertise to craft prompts and guide the AI so it performs the right actions.” During a test run—referred to by Modl.ai as a “session”—the system generates bug reports that include textual descriptions, short video clips as evidence, and comprehensive log data.
These artifacts are handed off to a human QA specialist who reviews them and decides the next steps in the production pipeline. One of the trickier challenges for AI is distinguishing a genuine bug from an intentional feature. Holmgard points out that continuous feedback from human testers helps the AI learn these nuances.
“Some learning comes from the prompts you give, some from the pre‑built game knowledge, and a lot from the ongoing feedback loop where testers label reports as ‘bug,’ ‘not a bug,’ or provide reasons why.” Over time, the model becomes attuned to the specific design language of each title. Side envisions a future where QA personnel evolve into AI engineers, thereby reshaping the global distribution of QA jobs. McBride notes, “Our people can move up the value chain—from repetitive testing to AI‑engineer roles—earning higher wages and opening new career paths. This shift also lets us bring jobs back to regions where they have disappeared because low‑cost testing was outsourced.” According to McBride, AI will make QA careers at Side more rewarding by automating monotonous tasks.
“Every new build triggers smoke tests and countless verification steps that bog down testers,” he says. “When AI handles those repetitive checks, our staff can focus on strategic analysis, creative testing, and deeper gameplay evaluation, leading to a more fulfilling career trajectory.” Benedikte Mikkelsen, Modl.ai’s chief product officer, echoes this sentiment: “Many current tests are tedious and can be run by a machine without human fatigue. That frees testers to concentrate on higher‑value activities like assessing gameplay feel or designing innovative test scenarios.” Both leaders stress that AI is not a replacement for human QA but a tool that elevates workers. “Testing costs are still low in some regions, making it hard to eliminate human involvement entirely,” McBride explains.
“Providing our teams with AI‑enhanced toolsets extends their careers and keeps talent engaged longer, while also reducing errors caused by human fatigue.” Side’s philosophy treats AI as a “sliding scale” where human oversight remains constant. “That’s our ethos—there will always be a human in the loop,” McBride asserts. “The AI reduces repetitive workload and minimizes mistakes, allowing us to deliver higher‑quality results.” When asked about the types of games the solution currently supports, COO Oliver Deslandes admits the technology is best suited for simpler titles—puzzle games, card games, and other experiences with repeatable mechanics. “Fast‑paced 3D open‑world or fighting games are further down the road,” he says.
“We’re focusing on clients willing to pilot the technology, understanding that early adopters may have modest expectations while we refine the system.” Deslandes concludes that the journey is just beginning. “If you join us now and run pilot projects, you’ll see how the tech evolves and where it can take us.” The partnership between Side and Modl.ai thus aims to pioneer an AI‑enhanced QA paradigm that balances automation with human expertise, promising a more efficient, insightful, and rewarding testing ecosystem for the gaming industry.