Hello. This is the UniqueGood Experience Trend Letter. We believe you've probably heard names like 'ChatGPT', 'Midjourney', and 'DALL-E'. Generative AI has become a familiar presence in our lives, shocking the world with its ability to instantly provide requested text and images with just a few typed words. But is it limited to just text and images? OpenAI's AI model 'Sora', released in February 2024, has reached the level where it can create videos from simple text inputs.
In this era of the so-called Fourth Industrial Revolution, UniqueGood Company is watching this phenomenon with great interest as we operate the playable content platform 'Realworld'. In fact, we're going beyond just observing and preparing various experiments on how we can utilize these technologies. This time, we'd like to discuss AI that creates content and the people who consume it.
AI Lowering the Barriers to Content Creation
While copyright issues surrounding AI-generated content are hotly debated, it's clear that AI development is lowering the barriers to content creation, separate from these discussions. AI can be a great help in structuring story narratives or generating images like illustrations. As a test, we asked AI to create a story outline and images about a 'K-POP star', and while there were still some awkward parts, it showed quite plausible results.
Realworld is also experimentally using AI-generated images. We used 'Midjourney' to create images for popular content like 'Redmare Mystery Hotel' and 'Real Detective Agency'. While additional work from professional designers is still needed, the advantage is that it reduces existing workload and makes it easy to obtain reference images.
Also, when Realworld hosts external creator content competitions, we can easily find cases where AI-generated images were used. Instead of giving up on images for their work due to lack of artistic talent or outsourcing it, creators can now easily obtain the images they want using AI according to their intentions.
The Subject Who Experiences Joy and Fun is 'Human'
Recently in March 2024, we heard another piece of news related to AI. OpenAI's language model GPT-4 played the game 'DOOM' without prior training. With AI now mastering even gameplay, one might wonder what humans can do if AI can play games too.
Are you curious whether Realworld feels burdened as content creators in the AI era? While we think AI's capabilities are impressive, the answer is 'no'. Currently, the focus of generative AI is aligned with AI's technical capabilities, with relatively less attention paid to 'humans' who are the subjects consuming it. Instead of focusing on AI's technical capabilities, focusing on people might reveal different aspects.
AI has no emotions. Just because it can play games doesn't mean AI feels achievement or fun. The same goes for generative AI. AI doesn't feel whether the content it creates is creative. It simply generates results according to human requests. Therefore, there's no need to be swayed just because AI shows generative capabilities beyond humans. While it may be superior to humans in productivity, ultimately, people are the ones who consume the content AI creates.
If Generative AI Technology is Used in Communities Where People Gather
If you read Experience Trend Letter Issue 21, you would have encountered the story about how 'Turtle Soup' problems activated Realworld's community. Many players are captivated by the charm of this 'Turtle Soup', which can be called a kind of mystery twenty questions game. However, there's one difficulty in operating this 'Turtle Soup' - the staff has to individually respond to every player's question.
But this effort could also be resolved using AI technology. For example, the ChatGPT-powered mystery game 'Uncover the Smoking Gun' introduced a new method of interrogating suspects using natural language typing instead of choosing options like traditional mystery games. In a similar format, if we train AI with the answers to 'Turtle Soup' problems, AI could answer countless player questions without staff intervention. Regarding this, UniqueGood Company is currently developing and testing an AI chatbot system internally, and we hope to meet it soon.
Technology is a Tool for Humans
The reason people solve puzzles and riddles and find them enjoyable is because the brain's reward system responds during those 'aha moments' when the solution comes to mind. AI can solve difficult problems too. In fact, it can solve them faster and more than humans. However, it cannot feel the joy of solving problems like humans do.
AI generates content, but the subject that consumes content and experiences fun is human. Even though AI can do many things, it should serve as a tool for people. We conclude this trend letter with the hope that we think about what help we can provide to people with the results, rather than just what we can create with AI.