The generative AI bubble, and the tech industry in general, can often be reduced to one haunting question: "What are we even doing here?" As developers look for ways to increase engagement, it feels like Big Tech is getting increasingly comfortable with plans to manipulate us with AI.
Google’s Vision for Predictive Gameplay
The concept was discussed—though perhaps not in such blunt terms—by Google Cloud gaming executive Jack Buser at the Game Developers Conference in March. His presentation highlighted various ways generative AI can assist in everyday game development, such as:
- Tagging assets
- Debugging code
- Detecting cheaters
While these practical applications aren't inherently unsettling, my stomach churned at the mention of "hyperpersonalization."
The Goal: How Hyperpersonalization Will Manipulate Us with AI
AI boosters have been promoting this concept for years. In a 2024 Microsoft blog post, the company stated that the ultimate goal of hyperpersonalized AI marketing is that "customers' needs are anticipated before they even ask."
When applied to gaming, Buser is excited by models that invisibly adjust a player's experience so that marketing "feels like it's part of the gameplay experience." He noted that the technology is already advanced enough to predict "churn" in extremely robust ways. This allows developers to adjust gameplay and offers in near real-time to keep players hooked.
Designing Digital Nicotine
If we are building software capable of Minority Report-style predictions just to ensure players don't stop playing, we have lost the plot. If it is impossible to run a successful game without using machine learning to build psychological prisons—much like the addictive disks in that infamous Star Trek: TNG episode—then there is no industry left to save. We would simply be competing to design the best digital nicotine.
We already see versions of this behavior through loot boxes and daily quests, but the move toward ways to manipulate us with AI represents a much more invasive frontier.
There are still developers who resist this trend. The creator of Balatro, one of the most successful recent PC titles, famously dislikes gambling and believes microtransactions make him "want to put [his] computer in the dishwasher." His philosophy is shared by many: "Many people make games for money, but we make money for games."
Unfortunately, Silicon Valley seems intent on a different path. They are focused on maximizing numbers and extraction, often acting surprised when players don't applaud their attempts to turn software into an automated profit engine.
