'Just about creating more variation for short repeated lines for NPC' - Ubisoft describes its new AI tool for writing dialogues

Ubisoft has announced the implementation of Ghostwriter, an AI-based tool that will be part of the company's game development process. As this news spread to the public, many wondered whether the studio was looking to replace its writers. Naturally, some were quick to offer their opinion regarding the development and how game development could become automated.

It appears that the tool will be used to assist, not replace, writers. The company has also discussed its future potential and how Ghostwriter could forever change the game development process.

The gaming giants took to Twitter to offer clarification regarding the usage of this modern technology. In one tweet, Ubisoft clearly stated that the "human" essence of the scripts wouldn't be diminished. All the company is looking to do is reduce the scriptwriters' workload to ensure that the latter can concentrate on more advanced tasks. Here's what Ubisoft said in the aforementioned tweet:

"The missing context from this headline is that the tool was created in collaboration with writers and is just about creating more variations for human-written 'barks', the short, repeated lines given to NPCs."

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Ubisoft's Ghostwriter could make gameplay feel much more dynamic in the future

As Ubisoft broke the news about Ghostwriter, many wondered to what extent the tool would be used. Some claimed that future games might be written entirely by AI. However, the official post discusses the tool's development and its immediate application.

Ghostwriter was made in collaboration with LA Forge Montreal, whose R&D scientist Ben Swanson mentioned how he got the idea for the tool while playing Watch Dogs: Legion, ultimately leading to its development. He discussed the best use-case scenario for the tool at present, saying:

"Rather than writing first draft versions themselves, Ghostwriter lets scriptwriters select and polish the samples generated."

It seems that the tool will be used to assist scriptwriters by generating the first version of the "bark" of NPCs. This refers to the dialogues said and noises made by these non-playable characters while interacting with players and each other.

It's hard to imagine that AI won't be a part of the near future in a much more mainstream fashion. Earlier in March, OpenAI showcased the much more advanced GPT-4 language. Ghostwriter might be more curtailed towards specific game development needs, but it does the same thing.

When used properly, it will greatly allow the developers to reduce their workload and finish their jobs more quickly. There won't be a lack of human touch in scripts for now since the first draft will be revised and fine-tuned by real people.

However, it still keeps the window open for a future where much more than bark might be written by AI. For now, Ubisoft's intentions remain clear, emphasized by its response to some of the posts made on public platforms. The exact extent of Ghostwriter's usage will become clearer in the coming months and years.