Could The Sims be speaking an AI language soon?
As the world of videogames continues to collide with the world of AI, modders have already experimented with using AI in games, and the results have been mixed. However, former EA and Unity CEO John Ricitiello has some ideas.
“I’m personally a big fan of The Sims,” Ricitiello says. “I think one of the really interesting things about that game is that it uses a language called Simlish. It’s a unique element that makes it immediately special. I think it’s so charming and it allows players' imagination to come in and fill in the gaps that AI can't possibly simulate.”
The Sims creator Will Wright has also emphasized the importance of Simlish, telling The Guardian in 2001, “The decision to have Sims speak their own language was a deliberate choice to enhance the game’s realism. It makes the world seem more alive because it gives the players the sense that the Sims are real people with a real language.”
Despite this, Ricitiello predicts that AI could potentially automate dialogue generation in games, allowing for customization and localization in different languages. “I think that’s a real breakthrough,” he says. “We’re starting to see AI replace elements that have always been in games, like Simlish, like the ability for a person to speak in any language.”
On the face of it, this seems like a positive development. Automation has always been a part of Gaming, from arcade cabinets that played themselves when no one was using them to the more recent trend of AI assistants like Alexa and Viv. So why not apply the same logic to a videogame?
However, the ongoing debate about AI’s role in gaming highlights the balance between automation and maintaining the unique elements that make games special. The appeal of Simlish lies in the fact that Sims communicate in a language players cannot understand. The introduction of AI-generated dialogue may remove this core element of the game’s appeal.
In an industry that is constantly evolving, the potential threat of AI lies in its ability to eliminate the magic and unpredictability that humans bring to the virtual world. However, perhaps that’s a good thing. As AI continues to evolve, it may even be able to replace human game writers altogether.
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