Games publisher Kwalee has announced its Kwalee Artificial Intelligence employee programme (KAI), which enables staff to pitch ideas on how AI can enhance productivity in the workplace.
The new programme encourages Kwalee employees to use open-source artificial intelligence, with tools like ChatGPT, DALL-E and Midjouney, to produce new and innovative ideas. These ideas should contribute toward the company’s core business goals, including game design, data science, marketing and customer support.
A panel of senior leaders will evaluate every contribution offered and sign off in exchange for benefits such as giveaways and financial incentives. The Kwalee blog states, “Artificial intelligence has already made significant strides in the world of marketing. It’s expected to continue to play an increasingly important role in the games industry in the coming years.”
Innovative ideas
The new programme acts similarly to the company’s Creative Wednesdays event, where all team members are encouraged to pitch their dream mobile game to a company-wide vote. They are then given two days out to manage the production of a prototype and share in the game’s financial success.
Kwalee aims to advocate for innovation in the industry and as AI tools evolve, the company fully intends to utilise these new capabilities. Discussing how AI can help in marketing, Kwalee noted “It’s important to note that AI has the potential to greatly improve and enhance the work of marketers, rather than replacing it entirely.”
The company has experimented with AI and machine learning before with its Draw It title, which accumulated over 115 million installs. A documentary was released that explored the game’s making and how expert tech teams made the project a reality.
AI integration
Kwalee CEO, David Darling commented on the use of AI saying, “The use of tools, from the chisel, to the printing press has shaped the course of human history, and will continue to do so in the future. They allow us to perform tasks more efficiently and effectively, and have the ability to multiply our strength and abilities. AI has shown tremendous potential as a tool for companies to use to gain a competitive advantage. By offering our team an opportunity to pitch ideas to integrate AI in our work at Kwalee, we can boost our productivity and help us create the next generation of entertaining games.”
AI tools are intended to help with daily work processes at Kwalee to not only streamline game development and improve player satisfaction but also help with cost saving and increased profitability for the company. We are already seeing how AI can be used to help with the creative process of game development.
Paige Cook is a writer with a multi-media background. She has experience covering video games and technology and also has freelance experience in video editing, graphic design, and photography. Paige is a massive fan of the movie industry and loves a good TV show, if she is not watching something interesting then she's probably playing video games or buried in a good book. Her latest addiction is virtual photography and currently spends far too much time taking pretty pictures in games rather than actually finishing them.
