With the advancement of AI technology, the Gaming industry has been revolutionized, and gameplay has been enhanced in several ways. Both video gaming and online betting have seen big changes thanks to developments in AI tech in recent years, with developers and players both enjoying the benefits.

In this article, we’ll take a close look at the ways AI is shaping the gaming scene, some common AI algorithms found in gaming, and how AI can continue to grow in gaming while staying ethical.

First, let’s take a look at some of the key ways that AI is shaping gaming today:

• Smarter NPCs: Non-Player Characters are intelligent in-game characters that show realistic human behaviour. Now, NPC characters can learn from player actions and make decisions based on complex algorithms. This makes gameplay more immersive and challenging. While most typically found in video games, NPCs are expected to start making their way into casino games soon.
• Personalized Experiences: Whether video gaming or betting online, AI helps personalize the player experience. This can include tracking purchases and offering similar items or tallying recent help requests and offering support. However, there are some highly personalized areas of online gaming that AI has not yet touched. For example, live dealer casino games continue to be a popular choice because they allow players to engage with a real person, and not AI. Not all online casino sites are the same, and according to Lindsay Jones from ReadWrite, players should look for sites with live-streaming studios that offer the social connection gamers want (source: https://readwrite.com/gambling/casino/best-online-casinos/).
• Procedural content generation: This sounds complex, but it actually just means computers creating data. The data can be for video games or casino games, and is used to create game content, like landscapes, visuals, 3D effects, and more.
• Natural language processing: Developments in AI have helped gamers be able to communicate directly with their game, including both casino games and video games. Natural language processing means that players can communicate (either by voice or text) with their game, and through AI, the game comprehends what they’re saying and can respond.
• Adaptive difficulty: New AI algorithms analyze players' skills and behavior in real-time and thus adjust the game's difficulty level accordingly. This is a fun and challenging feature mostly seen in video gaming, but slowly coming into casino games as well.

AI algorithms are now designed to simulate intelligent behaviour and make decisions. This means that all AI-powered characters or opponents can now engage and interact with each other realistically and dynamically.

Some of these newer algorithms include:

• Pathfinding algorithms: helping AI characters navigate game environments easily. It calculates the optimal or shortest path and even considers obstacles and other factors. This means that AI characters can move intelligently and smoothly, which enhances gameplay in both video and casino games.
• Decision trees: This refers to the AI characters' decision-making processes, determining the best course of action for an AI character. It also means that AI opponents can make strategic decisions that involve retreating, attacking, or defending based on the current state of the game. This type of algorithm currently applies mostly to video gaming.
• Neural networks: These networks are used to train AI models to adapt and learn based on their experience. Taking large amounts of data to analyse patterns and make predictions. Both video games and casino games use neural networks to process data.
• Genetic algorithms: This process involves creating AI agents with different characteristics and evaluating their performance in the game. Then, the best-performing agents are chosen and used to create the next generation of characters. These algorithms are used to optimize AI opponents and create challenges in the game.

While playing AI games, players should always consider the ethics surrounding the AI gaming industry. These ethics include:

• Fairness and Bias: These algorithms are used to ensure that there is fairness and non-bias. This means that developers have to be cautious about potential biases in AI decision-making, for example, gender or racial biases that could have an effect on gaming experiences for both video and casino games.
• Transparency and Disclosure: To maintain transparency, there should be clear disclosures about AI involvement in video and casino games. This should also include highlighting if any data collection or analysis is done during the game to help build trust with the players.
• Privacy and Data Protection: Since AI gaming often involves analyzing player data and collecting it, this data needs to be handled responsibly and ensure that protection against unauthorized access or misuse is put in place.
• Player Agency and Autonomy: AI should only enhance gameplay experiences but not undermine player control. A clear balance should be drawn between player and AI-driven assistance to ensure that player autonomy is maintained.
• Social Impact and Representation: AI video and casino gaming should avoid stereotypes and practices that can be seen as discriminatory. This means they should aim for inclusivity and consider the social impact AI has in gaming.

AI has transformed the player's gaming experience significantly in both video gaming and casino gaming online. From customized experiences to being able to communicate with a game directly, AI is making waves. An important aspect is to be mindful of the ethical considerations surrounding AI and gaming and how the advancement of technology has the potential to shape the future of gaming in 2024 and beyond.