Inzoi's AI demo received mixed reactions at conference

Inzoi, an early access life simulation game, aims to make its characters more lifelike with a new AI system called "Smart Zoi." This system is designed to improve character decision-making by allowing them to consider context in their actions, rather than just basic needs. At the Game Developers Conference in San Francisco, Krafton's head of deep learning, Kangwook Lee, demonstrated the system. Currently, the game uses a simpler "Utility AI," which prioritizes tasks based on immediate needs like hunger or hygiene. For example, if a character is hungry, it will eat before taking a bath. With Smart Zoi, characters are expected to factor in future events, such as waiting for a dinner reservation instead of eating right away. However, the live demonstration left some attendees unimpressed. During the demo, characters Grace and David performed tasks that didn't showcase significant improvements. Grace tried to turn on music, but the broken stereo led her to look up "interesting facts" on the computer. David chose to splash water playfully instead of watching TV, which seemed uninspired. The demo felt more like a standard life simulation than a groundbreaking AI experience. Participants noted that characters made mundane decisions, such as cleaning the house, which is something characters in similar games like The Sims also do. The malfunctioning speaker should have been a priority, but it was overlooked for cleaning and playful splashing. While Inzoi has potential as an early access game, the Smart Zoi system needs further development. The hope is that when it launches, players will experience more engaging and realistic character interactions compared to what was seen during the demo.