The Sega Dreamcast was released in Europe in October 1999, following its release in Japan a year earlier. At that time, it was promoted with a series of advertisements designed to show its superiority over the PlayStation 2 and GameCube. One such advertisement was titled “It’s thinking,” suggesting that the Dreamcast had artificial intelligence capabilities.
Back then, the idea of a Dreamcast with AI was just a marketing gimmick. However, over 25 years later, this concept has become a reality. A YouTube channel called gameblabla has taken on the challenge of running an AI on the Dreamcast. They used a version of a large language model called Llama2.c, which has about 262,000 parameters.
The AI can be started on the Sega console and can process prompts. It is trained to complete sentences and stories, operating at a speed of around 40 tokens per second. For example, when the YouTuber inputs “Once upon a time,” the Dreamcast AI completes it with a story about Carl, who went outside to get a drink. However, this version of Llama2 on the Dreamcast is not particularly reliable.
In the story about Carl, the AI generated text includes: “While he slept, he saw a little bird outside, screaming. […] Carrot was sad, but then he saw a dragon that was a big train. He looked at himself and saw it was broken. […] He went home with his birthday.” The YouTuber notes that another model with more parameters might produce better results, but it would likely generate tokens much more slowly on the Dreamcast.
This experiment shows how far technology has come, allowing even older consoles like the Dreamcast to run AI models. While the current implementation is limited, it demonstrates the potential for AI to enhance gaming experiences. In modern gaming, AI is already making significant changes, from providing gameplay tips to creating more immersive worlds.
As AI technology continues to advance, it could lead to new ways of interacting with games. Developers might create more dynamic and responsive game environments, where non-player characters (NPCs) behave more realistically and adapt to players’ actions. Additionally, AI could assist in generating content, such as levels or storylines, making each gaming experience unique.
These developments highlight the exciting possibilities for the future of gaming. With AI, games could become more personalized and engaging, offering players experiences tailored to their preferences and play styles. As AI models become more sophisticated, they could also improve accessibility, providing features that help players with different abilities enjoy games fully.
However, there are challenges to overcome. Running complex AI models requires significant processing power, which might be a limitation for older hardware like the Dreamcast. Developers must find a balance between creating advanced AI systems and ensuring they run smoothly on various platforms.
Despite these challenges, the integration of AI into gaming is a promising field. It opens up new opportunities for creativity and innovation, allowing developers to push the boundaries of what games can offer. As technology progresses, we can expect to see even more exciting developments in the world of gaming, driven by the power of artificial intelligence.