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Inworld AI, a leading Character Engine for games and interactive experiences, has successfully raised new funding, bringing the company’s valuation to over $500 million. The funding round includes investments from Lightspeed Venture Partners, Stanford University, Samsung Next, Microsoft’s M12 fund, First Spark Ventures co-founded by Eric Schmidt, and LG Technology Ventures. With this, Inworld AI becomes the best-funded startup at the intersection of AI and gaming.
A Commitment to Open Source and Innovation
With over $100 million in total funding, Inworld AI plans to accelerate research and development, hire top talent, invest in infrastructure, and launch an open-source version of its Character Engine. The company’s commitment to open source reflects its belief in collaboration as a driving force for innovation. This approach aims to push forward advancements in generative AI that will elevate the entire gaming industry.
AI-Driven Non-Player Character (NPC) Experiences
Inworld AI’s technology has been utilized in AI-driven NPC experiences with various companies, including Team Miaozi (NetEase Games), Niantic 8th Wall, LG UPlus, Alpine Electronics, and in community-created mods of popular games like Skyrim, Stardew Valley, and Grand Theft Auto V. The company’s ‘Droid Maker’ prototype was also demonstrated at the 2022 Disney Accelerator Demo Day.
Beyond Chatbots: A New Level of Immersion
Inworld’s technology transcends traditional large language models (LLMs) and chatbots. It enables developers to power AI-driven NPCs that exhibit lifelike human behaviors, enhancing immersion for players. Unlike chatbots, Inworld orchestrates multiple machine learning models to mimic the full range of human communication, including emotions, memory, recall, and autonomous goal initiation.
Integration with Top Game Development Engines
The Inworld Character Engine is integrated with the industry’s leading game development engines and is featured in Unity’s new AI Marketplace as a Unity Verified Solution. Inworld also received an Epic MegaGrant, joining a community of innovative projects built around Unreal Engine. This integration introduces a layer of artificial intelligence on top of Unreal Engine’s MetaHumans, helping to build convincing characters.
The Future of Gaming: AI-Driven Characters
According to a report surveying over 1,000 U.S. gamers, 99% believe that advanced AI NPCs would positively impact gameplay. Furthermore, 78% would spend more time playing, and 81% would be willing to pay more for a game with advanced AI NPCs. Inworld’s Character Engine offers a transformational shift that brings characters to life with realistic emotions and dialogue, adding richness to the stories and worlds they inhabit.
A Paradigm Shift in Storytelling
Inworld’s AI-driven characters are seen as a new form of magic that will power a paradigm shift in storytelling and escapism. The audience can transcend the role of passive viewer to active participant, opening up new avenues of creative expression. This interactive media will guide narratives by the collective imagination of creators and the audience.
Conclusion: A New Era of Interactive Entertainment
Inworld AI’s recent funding and commitment to innovation mark a significant milestone in the field of gaming and interactive experiences. By leveraging advanced AI to build generative characters, Inworld is paving the way for a new era of immersive and interactive entertainment. The company’s collaboration with leading investors and its integration with top game development engines signal a promising future for AI-driven characters in gaming. The industry and players alike can look forward to a transformative change that will redefine the way we experience and engage with virtual worlds.
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