Side, a seasoned services provider, has entered into a six‑month memorandum of understanding with Denmark‑based artificial‑intelligence specialist Modl.ai. The partnership aims to create a joint AI‑powered quality‑assurance (QA) platform that blends Side’s deep testing expertise with Modl.ai’s emerging AI technology. Side, previously known as PTW, has long been a fixture in the outsourcing and testing arena, delivering manual and automated QA services to game developers worldwide. Modl.ai, on the other hand, is a newer player that broke into the games sector in 2018 and secured $1.7 million in seed capital two years later.
The two companies now see an opportunity to combine their respective strengths into a single, differentiated offering. "The MOU essentially fuses the best of Side’s testing heritage with the most advanced AI capabilities Modl.ai has built," explains Martin McBride, Side’s chief commercial officer. "For the games industry, a true AI‑enhanced QA solution has been the holy grail for years. Nobody has cracked it yet, but we believe this collaboration brings us close." Earlier AI‑driven QA tools, including Modl.ai’s initial product, required developers to hand over full game builds or even source code so the system could instrument the software.
That approach relied on deep integration via plugins and SDKs, which proved cumbersome and often stalled as projects evolved. According to Modl.ai founder Christoffer Holmgard, the friction made the solution impractical for many studios. Holmgard stresses that the new system eliminates the need for any internal access.
"We treat the product exactly as you would hand it to a QA tester or eventually to a consumer," he says. "The game runs on a device that mirrors the target hardware, our AI watches the screen, simulates inputs, records everything that happens, and then hands the data to a second AI layer that flags potential bugs.
That layer escalates uncertain findings to a human for final judgment." The first phase of the workflow is what Modl.ai calls "building game knowledge." Developers upload assets—artwork, design documents, even video clips—and converse with the AI in plain English. The system absorbs this information, creating a contextual model of the game’s mechanics, narrative, and visual style. "All communication is natural language," Holmgard notes. "We can chat, share images, or feed design docs, and the AI learns from it." Once the knowledge base is in place, developers specify the testing scope.
This can range from traditional test cases to novel scenarios that are better suited to AI‑driven exploration. Holmgard points out that human expertise remains crucial at this stage: "You need to craft prompts and guide the AI so it performs the right actions. That translation from tester intent to AI instruction is where seasoned QA professionals add value." During a test run—referred to by Modl.ai as a "session"—the system captures textual logs, short video snippets (the "evidence"), and comprehensive telemetry.
These artifacts are compiled into a bug report that is then reviewed by a human QA specialist. The specialist validates each finding, decides on severity, and determines the next steps in the production pipeline.
One persistent challenge for AI in gaming is distinguishing a genuine bug from an intentional feature. Holmgard explains that feedback loops from human testers help the model refine this judgment. "Prompt engineering, pre‑built game knowledge, and ongoing tester feedback all teach the AI to recognize when something is meant to be there versus when it’s a defect. Over time the system becomes more attuned." Side envisions a broader impact: as AI takes over repetitive, low‑value tasks, QA staff can evolve into AI engineers, designing prompts, curating data, and overseeing model performance.
This shift could reshape the global distribution of QA jobs. "Our people can move up the value chain," says McBride.
"Instead of a linear career from junior tester to senior tester, they can become AI engineers, earn higher salaries, and even bring jobs back to regions where testing was previously outsourced because of cost pressures." McBride also highlights the human‑centred benefits of the AI tool. By automating mundane smoke tests and regression checks, testers gain time for strategic analysis, creative test design, and deeper gameplay evaluation.
"When the repetitive burden is lifted, our employees can focus on higher‑order thinking, which makes their careers more fulfilling," he adds. Benedikte Mikkelsen, Modl.ai’s chief product officer, echoes this sentiment: "There are many tedious test flows that a human can repeat endlessly. An AI can handle those, freeing the tester to assess gameplay feel, balance, or conduct more exploratory testing. That’s the core value proposition." Both leaders stress that AI will not replace QA professionals but will augment them.
McBride notes that in regions where testing rates are extremely low, a full AI takeover is unrealistic. "Providing our teams with these tools lets them extend their careers, stay relevant, and ultimately deliver higher‑quality results," he says. Side’s philosophy treats AI as a "sliding scale"—a spectrum where human involvement diminishes for routine tasks but never disappears entirely. "Our ethos is that a human is always in the loop," McBride affirms.
"The AI reduces error and fatigue, but the final decision still rests with a skilled person." When asked about the types of games the solution can handle today, 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 remain a longer‑term goal. "We’re focusing on projects where the AI can demonstrate value quickly, and we’re looking for partners willing to pilot this journey with us," he explains.
In summary, the Side‑Modl.ai partnership seeks to pioneer an AI‑enhanced QA workflow that keeps humans at the heart of decision‑making while leveraging machine intelligence to automate the grind. If the pilot projects succeed, the collaboration could set a new standard for how the gaming industry approaches quality assurance, blending efficiency, accuracy, and career growth for QA professionals alike.