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 binds the two companies to collaborate on an AI‑driven quality‑assurance (QA) platform that blends Side’s extensive testing expertise with Modl.ai’s cutting‑edge machine‑learning capabilities. Modl.ai, a relatively new entrant to the gaming sector, was founded in 2018 and secured $1.7 million in seed funding two years later.
Its founder, Christoffer Holmgard, explains that earlier AI‑powered QA solutions required developers to hand over complete game builds, source code, or integrate SDKs and plugins directly into their development pipelines. That approach generated significant friction, made the process cumbersome, and ultimately proved unsustainable for many studios. The new system 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," Holmgard says. "You load it onto a device that mirrors the target hardware, and our AI watches the screen, mimics key inputs, records every on‑screen event, and then hands the resulting data set to a second AI layer that flags anomalies, creates bug tickets, and escalates items that require human judgement." 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 the system the nuances of their title. "We can chat with the AI about the game, feed it images, feed it design docs – all in plain English," Holmgard notes.
This conversational interface creates a semantic model of the game that the AI can later reference when generating test scenarios. Once the knowledge base is in place, developers define the testing objectives. These can range from classic regression test cases to novel, AI‑friendly challenges that exploit the system’s strengths.
"Human expertise is still required to craft the right prompts and guide the AI toward meaningful actions," Holmgard adds. The AI then runs a "session" – Modl.ai’s term for a test run – and produces a comprehensive bug report that includes textual descriptions, short video clips as evidence, and full log data. Those reports are not handed directly to developers; they first pass through a human QA specialist.
The specialist reviews the findings, validates whether each flagged item is truly a defect or an intended feature, and provides feedback that the AI ingests to improve its future performance. "Over time, the system learns the subtle distinctions that only experienced testers can make," Holmgard explains, emphasizing that continuous human feedback is essential for refining the model.
Side sees this collaboration as a pathway to elevate its workforce. Martin McBride, Side’s chief commercial officer, says the AI tool will free testers from repetitive, low‑value tasks such as smoke testing every new build.
"When the AI handles the grunt work, our people can focus on strategic analysis, creative testing, and higher‑order problem solving," he asserts. This shift, he argues, creates new career tracks where testers evolve into AI engineers, commanding higher salaries and offering a more fulfilling professional trajectory. McBride also highlights the broader economic impact.
By moving staff up the value chain, Side hopes to repatriate jobs that have migrated to low‑cost regions because traditional testing rates are often too low to sustain local employment. "If we can upskill our people, we can bring those roles back to markets where they previously disappeared," he says. Benedikte Mikkelsen, Modl.ai’s chief product officer, echoes the sentiment, noting that many current QA tasks are monotonous and could be automated without loss of quality.
"Instead of having a human repeat the same flow dozens of times, they can concentrate on assessing gameplay, exploring edge cases, and delivering insights that only a creative mind can provide," Mikkelsen remarks. Both executives stress that AI will never replace QA professionals entirely.
The price point for manual testing in certain countries remains low, making a full AI takeover impractical. Instead, the technology acts as an augmentative tool that reduces human error, speeds up test cycles, and raises overall quality.
Side’s chief operating officer, Oliver Deslandes, clarifies the current scope of the solution. At present, the AI works best with simpler titles—puzzle games, card games, and other experiences with repeatable mechanics—rather than fast‑paced 3D open‑world or fighting games. "We’re targeting clients willing to pilot this journey with us, acknowledging that more complex genres will require further development," Deslandes says. In summary, the Side‑Modl.ai partnership aims to create a hybrid QA ecosystem where AI handles bulk, repetitive testing while seasoned human testers provide the critical judgment and creativity that machines lack.
The collaboration promises to streamline workflows, open new career pathways, and ultimately deliver higher‑quality gaming experiences, all while keeping a human in the loop as a core principle of the operation.