Can talking to an NPC feel like you’re speaking with a real person?
In this InTechnology video, Camille talks with co-host Srini Ananth, Managing Director at Intel Capital, and guest Florin Radu, VP of Operations and Corporate Development at Inworld AI. They get into Inworld’s AI game development solutions, video games and social interaction, and what’s next for gaming and AI.
Learn more about Intel Capital here.
Inworld’s AI Game Development Solutions
Camille begins by asking Florin to describe Inworld’s AI game development solutions. Florin explains that although Inworld initially focused on AI for NPCs (non-playable characters), they have since expanded into a broader set of AI tools for game development. He highlights that Inworld’s AI engine offers a range of components, tools, and infrastructure designed to help developers create more immersive, engaging, and personalized experiences. These tools go beyond language models and generative AI, incorporating input models (primitives), output models, and control systems to ensure everything functions safely and securely.
Florin also outlines how Inworld trains its AI models. Some game studios they work with restrict the use of player data for AI training, while others allow it. Inworld uses various training approaches, including centralized training, distributed learning, and edge AI (on-device). Florin notes that edge AI is where the industry is headed, as it allows for more personalized and efficient gaming experiences. In terms of NPC development, Inworld’s AI models are designed for creating immersive dialogue, far surpassing the capabilities of simple AI chatbots. These NPCs can respond contextually to a player’s actions and history within the game and retain information from previous interactions. Florin mentions examples like Death by AI from Playroom and Ubisoft’s use of Inworld’s tools as successful implementations.
Video Games and Social Interaction
Florin emphasizes the positive social impact of video games, noting how they foster human connections, with players often meeting in person after years of online interaction. He believes video games often focus on relationships between people. Srini adds how Inworld prioritizes safety by ensuring their AI solutions keep harmful content away from gaming platforms, especially for children. Florin dismisses the idea of AI-powered NPCs replacing human interaction, stating that NPCs typically serve to enhance the story rather than take center stage.
What’s Next for Gaming and AI
The discussion then shifts to the future of AI in gaming. Camille asks Srini why Intel Capital invested in Inworld. Srini explains that Intel has a history of investing in speech and natural language processing, as well as gaming technologies like PC processors. Intel Capital first invested in the Android speech assistant Speak to It (later API.ai), which was acquired by Google. When the same team moved into AI for gaming with Inworld, Intel Capital saw it as a great opportunity. Srini believes Inworld’s AI solutions have applications beyond gaming, potentially benefiting other B2B industries. For the gaming industry, he points out that Inworld’s tools enable smaller studios to produce quality games at lower costs by moving AI to the edge.
Florin shares his excitement about this shift towards on-device AI and emphasizes Inworld’s commitment to content safety, IP protection, and brand security. Looking ahead, he envisions a future where AI helps blur the line between real and virtual worlds, enables gesture and emotion recognition, and accelerates game development cycles.
Srini Ananth, Managing Director at Intel Capital
Srini has served as Managing Director at Intel Capital since 2015, leading investments in deep tech, cloud infrastructure, and AI applications. He currently holds board positions or observer roles with companies including Astera Labs, IRE Labs, Common Sense Machines, Eleon, Inworld AI, VeriSIM Life, and SiPhox. Srini originally joined Intel Capital in 2012 as an Associate Investment Manager, following his role as Senior Manager for Strategic Partnerships and Ecosystem Development at Intel. A Kauffman Fellow, he holds an MBA from UCLA Anderson School of Management and an MS in Electrical Engineering from Arizona State University.
Florin Radu, Vice President of Operations and Corporate Development at Inworld AI
Florin Radu has been the Vice President of Operations and Corporate Development at Inworld AI since 2023, first joining the company in 2022 as Head of Partnerships. Before Inworld, he worked in Digital Strategy & Investments at Sony Music Entertainment and as an Investment Banking Analyst at Credit Suisse. Florin holds an MBA from Stanford University’s Graduate School of Business and a bachelor’s degree in Economics from Princeton University.
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The views and opinions expressed are those of the guests and author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Intel Corporation.
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