AI has become a major part of the world's economy and is now part of many industries.
One of these industries is the gaming niche, which has become a multi-billion dollar niche.
More than web2 gaming, the web3 industry combines artificial intelligence with defi to create what is known as AI agents.
AI agents are integrating further into the gaming ecosystem, with defi platforms monetizing them with in-app tokens.
Artificial intelligence continues to penetrate several niches worldwide, with AI-based tools now available in healthcare, finance, education, tourism, and many other fields.
This trend has found its way into the multi-billion dollar gaming industry, and gamers are set to experience more advanced ways to enjoy their favorite games.
The Web3 gaming experience, in particular, is now seeing ways of combining AI with defi to create what are known as AI agents.
Here's what these agents are and how they could be the future of automating user actions and learning from player behavior.
Could this be the future of social media, gaming, and digital identity management?
The launch of ChatGPT in 2022 created the first wave of AI adoption that took over the world.
Three years after this, AI agents have taken center stage in Web3 gaming.
It is easier to think of AI agents as regular bots—clever automations built for specific tasks.
However, these agents are much more advanced and have a higher level of autonomy.
In the Web3 gaming sector, they can complete tasks such as mimicking human input, completing quests, optimizing gameplay, and more.
They save human players the hassle of performing repetitive tasks and instead focus on the more engaging aspects of gameplay.
What's more, unlike traditional bots, they integrate well with in-game mechanics, making life much easier for gamers and developers alike
Quite a number of these AI agent platforms have emerged over the years, including GOAT gaming, KGeN, and Ronin (which is currentlydevelopingan AI agent SDK for game developers).
AI agents are great for trivia contests and in-game interactions. Some games even use them as interactive characters (also called Non-Player Characters or NPCs) that players must convince, outwit, or collaborate with to progress through the story.
Imagine talking to or asking an AI for advice or guidance mid-game—no preprogrammed responses—just complete freedom with an intelligent companion (or foe) within a game.
The creation of AI agents involves the training of AI models on specific datasets. This means the agents are fully aware of player behavior and game mechanics.
They can also perform strategic decision-making and are great as in-game assistants.
As mentioned earlier, AI agents are also widely used as automated players or interactive NPCs. Developers typically feed them data from real game logs and player actions, all of which are powered by smart contracts.
Many AI agents in Web3 also operate on a token-based economy, allowing users to pay for access or receive rewards in the game’s native currency.
The Ronin network, for example, does this using its native $RON cryptocurrency. Some platforms charge a one-time fee to deploy an AI agent, while others follow a rental model and allow their players to pay a temporary fee in-game tokens.
AI Agents have become a big deal in the Web3 gaming industry so far, helping players handle repetitive tasks.
Moreover, developers can control and even monetize AI agents in games instead of having third-party bots compromise the safety of the platform and its smart contracts.
AI agents can also provide players with various services like tips and coaching. They can even cheer players on and make games more exciting for everyone.
Moreover, AI agents align closely with Web3's decentralized nature by allowing players to co-own or trade their own AI-powered assets.
AI agents are poised to become a bigger part of Web3 gaming going forward, and Ronin is preparing to make building them much easier for developers with its upcoming SDK.
Looking ahead, we can expect even wider adoption as more games incorporate them into their gameplay.
AI agents will also evolve from mere automation tools to fully interactive characters with unique personalities. They will also learn much faster and even become a huge part of social media and the metaverse soon.
AI Agents are much more than another tech trend—they are the future of immersive and engaging gameplay.