AI is already being used in game development — but it could soon go even further when it comes to role-playing games played by millions, Hasbro's CEO says.
In one Goldman Sachs Thursday EventHasbro CEO Chris Cocks said the company is using AI internally to help develop games in “Primarily machine learning-based AI or proprietary AI as opposed to a ChatGPT approach.” Hasbro will use AI in the future as a knowledge and development assistant, giving technology a place at the gaming table.
However, development is only one piece of the larger AI puzzle. Cocks says he's most excited about how technology can impact Hasbro's customers' everyday play.
“If you look at a typical D&D player… I play with maybe 30 or 40 people on a regular basis,” Cocks said. “There isn't a single person who doesn't use AI in some way for campaign development, character development, or story ideas. That's a clear signal that we should embrace it.”
Cocks gave examples of AI helping D&D players with stories and presentations, and said those use cases could be applied to other brands within the company. of Hasbro PORTFOLIO includes Transformers, Star Wars and Marvel. on 50 million people worldwide play Dungeons & Dragons.
In one interview with the Entrepreneur in July, Cocks said that one of the most exciting projects he was working on was a fifth edition refresh of Dungeons & Dragons. He also spoke more extensively about how Hasbro balances tradition with innovation as a company in business for over 100 years.
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“While history doesn't repeat itself, it definitely rhymes — so big technological innovations and big changes in entertainment is something Hasbro has dealt with many, many times,” he said at the time. “Perhaps the biggest lesson I learned from him is to embrace change and not fight it. When we embrace (change), we win and come out on top.”
Cocks also emphasized the importance of safe and responsible AI development at Thursday's event and stated that he wanted to pay creators for their work and make sure to label AI-generated content.
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