Artificial Intelligence (AI) startup, Artificial Agency, recently emerged from stealth mode and announced $16 million in funding. The company aims to revolutionize gaming by developing an AI-powered behavior engine that can seamlessly integrate generative AI into all aspects of a game. This engine enables game developers to create truly immersive and individualized gaming experiences.
The funding will be used to accelerate the development of Artificial Agency’s flagship product, which allows developers to embed runtime decision-making into games. By doing so, the behavior engine enhances both moment-to-moment interactions and the overall game narrative. This results in more engaging and entertaining gameplay that keeps players fully engaged.
The AI-powered behavior engine offers a range of features for game developers. They can add minor improvisation to scripted interactions, introduce full improvisation for emergent gameplay, create artificial players, and even implement high-level gamekeeper systems that control various aspects of the game. These features ensure that players have a more dynamic and immersive experience, reducing churn and increasing player engagement.
Artificial Agency’s engine is designed to be easily integrated into existing workflows at any stage of development. It is fully customizable and extensible, allowing game designers to align the engine with their creative vision. The company has been operating in stealth mode for a year and is currently working closely with several notable triple-A studios to develop the engine. It is expected to be widely available for studios in 2025.
The funding for Artificial Agency came from various sources, including Radical Ventures, Toyota Ventures, Flying Fish, Kaya, BDC Deep Tech, TIRTA Ventures, and others. The company is based in Edmonton, Canada, which is a global hub for AI and gaming innovation. The team behind Artificial Agency consists of world-class AI researchers from Google DeepMind and engineers and game developers from elite AAA studios.
Artificial Agency has received support from renowned pioneers of reinforcement learning, Richard Sutton and Michael Bowling, who are angel investors in the company. The company’s founders have strong backgrounds in AI and game development, with experience at DeepMind and in the gaming industry. Their expertise in reinforcement learning and agent-human interaction positions them well to create complex and life-like AI agents for gaming.
The growth of Alberta’s tech sector, particularly in AI, has been significant, and companies like Artificial Agency are contributing to this progress. The region has invested in training and recruiting AI experts, making it attractive for companies to establish their operations there. Edmonton, where Artificial Agency is based, is known for its technological development and innovation in the AI sector.
Overall, Artificial Agency’s AI-powered behavior engine has the potential to transform the gaming industry by enabling developers to create more creative, expressive, and individualized games. With its customizable and extensible features, the engine allows game designers to fully unleash their creativity and create new gaming experiences. The funding and collaborations with notable studios further validate the company’s vision and highlight the exciting progress being made in the AI and gaming sectors.