Nvidia has taken its digital "ACE" characters to the next level by introducing autonomous game characters, including a teammate for popular battle royale game PUBG, at CES 2025. This innovative technology allows AI-powered characters to perceive, plan, and act like human players, revolutionizing the gaming experience.

The ACE characters, powered by generative AI, will enable living, dynamic game worlds with companions that comprehend and support player goals, and enemies that adapt dynamically to player tactics. According to Nvidia, the characters are capable of planning at human-like frequencies required for realistic decision making, thanks to "small language models (SLMs)" and "multi-modal SLMs for vision and audio" that allow AI characters to hear audio cues and perceive their environment.

In PUBG, the "PUBG Ally" will be the world's first Co-Playable Character (CPC), capable of communicating using game-specific lingo, providing real-time strategic recommendations, finding and sharing loot, driving vehicles, and fighting other human players using the game's extensive arsenal of weapons. A demo video showcases the Ally's capabilities, including helping a player find specific loot, bringing over a vehicle, and attempting to flank opposing players. However, the edited video raises some skepticism about the Ally's actual performance in live gameplay.

Beyond PUBG, AI characters built with ACE technology will also be integrated into other games, such as Naraka: Bladepoint Mobile PC Version, which will receive a local inference AI Teammate feature in March 2025, and Naraka: Bladepoint on PC, which will get the feature later in 2025. These AI Teammates can join players' parties, battling alongside them, finding specific items, swapping gear, offering suggestions on skills to unlock, and making plays to achieve victory.

Krafton's upcoming life simulation game, inZOI, will also feature CPCs called "Smart Zoi." Additionally, Nvidia's ACE characters can be used as bosses, with plans to integrate them into boss encounters in Wemade Next's MIR5. This technology has the potential to significantly enhance gameplay and player engagement across various genres.

The implications of Nvidia's ACE technology are far-reaching, with potential applications in game development, esports, and even virtual worlds. As AI-powered characters become more prevalent, they may change the way we interact with games and each other within them. With CES 2025 showcasing the future of gaming, Nvidia's autonomous game characters are undoubtedly a significant step forward in this direction.

As the gaming industry continues to evolve, it will be interesting to see how players respond to AI-powered teammates and how game developers leverage this technology to create more immersive and dynamic experiences. With Nvidia at the forefront of this innovation, the possibilities for AI-driven gameplay are endless.