Nvidia has previously shown off its ACE digital character technology, which can hold conversations with players using generative AI. But at CES 2025, the company showed off new ACE features that transform NPCs from chatbots into autonomous AI teammates in some online games.
Nvidia has previously shown off its ACE digital character technology, which can hold conversations with players using generative AI. But at CES 2025, the company showed off new ACE features that transform NPCs from chatbots into autonomous AI teammates in some online games.
Nvidia said that ACE characters can use artificial intelligence to «perceive, plan, and act like regular players».
«The term ‘artificial intelligence’ has been used in games for decades. These non-player characters (NPCs) have traditionally followed strict rules designed to simulate intelligence, follow a guided story, and provide scripted interactions with the player. However, with the advent of intelligent language models, gaming AI is poised for a truly intelligent overhaul,» the company noted.
ACE will allow for the creation of «living, dynamic game worlds» with companions that understand and support the player’s goals, and enemies that dynamically adapt to their tactics. These characters are driven by «small language models (MLs)» that are «capable of planning at the human frequencies needed for realistic decision-making,» as well as «multimodal MLs for vision and sound that allow AI characters to hear audio cues and perceive their environment.»
For example, in PUBG, players will be able to play battle royale with PUBG Ally, whom Nvidia and PUBG publisher Krafton are calling «the world’s first co-op character.» The ally will be able to «communicate using game-specific lingo, provide real-time strategic advice, find and share loot, drive vehicles, and fight other human players using a wide arsenal of in-game weapons,» Nvidia says.
The Verge points out that this is essentially an AI teammate that you can speak to in natural language, and which (in theory) should be as skilled at the game as a human. In the video shown, the AI ally does help the player find loot, gives a lift to a vehicle, and tries to flank opposing players. But the video is heavily edited and not real live gameplay, so in real situations it could show itself much worse.
Characters with ACE technology will also appear in other games. Naraka: Bladepoint Mobile PC Version will receive an «AI companion feature» in March 2025, while Naraka: Bladepoint on PC will receive the feature «later in 2025,» according to an Nvidia blog post.
«A NVIDIA ACE-powered AI teammate can join your party, fight alongside you, find items you need, trade gear, offer advice on unlockable skills, and create games to help you achieve victory,» the feature description says.
Another Krafton game, an upcoming life simulator called inZOI, will also get a co-op character. Nvidia says that ACE characters could be not only companions, but also special bosses that will appear in Wemade Next’s MIR5 game.
Nvidia also announced a major update to its Deep Learning Super Sampling (DLSS) technology. DLSS 4 will include new neural rendering capabilities that, on systems with the new RTX 50-series GPUs, can perform Multi Frame Generation, generating «up to three additional frames per traditional frame.» The technology available on previous GeForce RTX graphics cards will also receive improvements.
