We often hear about artificial intelligence in terms of how these systems are slated to affect everyday online tasks that would otherwise need to be performed manually. Data entry, marketing analyses, and customer service are three common examples. However, AI has already begun exerting an influence throughout the virtual gaming community. Slots is one genre which can be used to better understand what users can expect in the not-so-distant future.
Note that we are not necessarily referring to predictions alone in this sense. Believe it or not, artificial intelligence is cementing its digital roots as you finish this sentence. Proponents of this technology will often cite words such as “smarter”, “faster”, and “hyper-personalised”. Detractors are more likely to highlight potential flaws in the system as a whole.
Which perspective is the most accurate? Might we be able to find a happy medium between the two? The intention of this article is not necessarily to draw any firm conclusions, but rather, to illuminate both sides of the spectrum.
Why are Game Programmers Turning Towards Artificial Intelligence?
Slots developers are innovative by their very nature. This is one of the reasons why they have been keen to jump aboard the AI bandwagon. Software programmers who use artificial intelligence as a functional assistant can complete tasks in a fraction of the time that would have otherwise been required, and AI is great at detecting bugs during beta testing.
Additionally, artificial intelligence can streamline laborious processes (producing complex animations is one example). As slots now offer much more than a simple series of spinning reels, it is clear that high-definition graphics have become an important selling point. From entertaining in-game non-playable characters to visually stimulating bonus rounds, developers understand that AI will provide them with a much-needed edge when it comes to throughput.
Generative AI: The Next Step Forward
We should also take a moment to mention how the framework of artificial intelligence is beginning to change. In the past, the vast majority of systems employed discriminative AI. These algorithms were essentially limited in terms of the answers they could provide, as responses were solely determined by user input. Generative AI is quite different. It can “scrape” the Internet for novel information; resulting in answers that are much more complex. When translated into the world of online slots, this signifies that programmers may be pointed in directions that they might have otherwise overlooked (or missed entirely). So, it is not unreasonable to conclude that even more immersive end-user experiences may be closer than we think. Most experts also agree that generative AI is slated to completely overtake discriminative AI in the coming years.
Fair Gameplay
Some slots players have started to view AI in general as a form of big brother. They believe that these systems will constantly be looking over their shoulders, and in extreme cases, perhaps collecting personal data. This perspective is more dystopian than realistic. Although it is true that experts want to “put the brakes” on how quickly artificial intelligence is developing, we need to remember that its applications in relation to the average slots game are still limited.
However, artificial intelligence can serve another extremely practical purpose. Bespoke algorithms are capable of performing several safety functions behind these scenes. Examples include:
- Monitoring general playing habits
- Detecting instances of potential fraud
- Guaranteeing unbiased outcomes with the help of random number generator (RNG) coding
So, artificial intelligence has come to represent yet another firewall when discussing provably fair gameplay. Players can rest assured that outcomes are unbiased, and casinos can leverage a greater sense of transparency.
Is More Necessarily Better?
It appears as if artificial intelligence could soon set the benchmark for what future slots games have in store. However, this utopian outlook must be tempered with a touch of pragmatism. Casino games have always been built by humans, and for human players. We are forced to ask what would happen if real-world programmers were ever completely removed from the loop.
Could this usher in a new era of slots? Will players choose to interact with games they know have been spawned by nothing more than clever algorithms? What about the ethical use of data? Removing organic software developers from the equation is fraught with risks that have yet to be fully quantified. We are not alluding at any type of doomsday scenario in this sense but rather, questioning if users would remain loyal to such automated alternatives.
Regardless of personal opinions, it is a foregone conclusion that AI will continue to gain ground throughout the iGaming ecosystem. The exact ways in which it makes its presence known are ultimately up to the brands, and the developers themselves. Players can then determine if artificial intelligence is a welcome addition, or a needless digital appendage.
