Of all of the many ongoing developments in technology, artificial intelligence (AI) is among those that have generated a lot of column inches and controversy. Put simply, artificial intelligence means machines that are capable of simulating human thought processes and handling tasks that involve them.
That has been behind much of the fuss, with a fear that AI will replace people in creative sectors as well as mundane jobs, as it grows in sophistication. In fact, AI is already used within many industries, from healthcare to manufacturing and logistics.
That is because it has the potential to improve efficiency and help human workers, rather than just supplanting them.
The digital casino industry is also now deploying AI capabilities for its websites and games. So what could that mean for the future of the most popular casino games: the slots?
The Future Now
The first thing to note is that many of the top online slots have elements of AI built into their design now. That may ease the worries that some fans of the games have, as the chances are they have been playing slot games that utilize this technology.
At the moment, the uses of AI in slot games are mainly concentrated on two areas: personalization and security. Now we will take a look at how exactly casino sites and slot game developers are using it to improve both of those things.
Personalization
AI is used to gather data from all of the customers who play the various slot games at a casino site. That data includes how they bet, what the most popular parts of the games are and what sort of themes and graphics have the strongest appeal.
All of that data is then used by the developers of slot games to craft new titles that will have maximum attraction for players. The casino sites also use it in their algorithms to ensure that players receive game recommendations that are most likely to connect with them.
Looked at this way, the use of AI is clearly enhancing the experience for slot players as well as increasing the profits for the casino sites and game creators.
Security
A second major area in which AI is already being deployed is security. Playing slot games online is impossible without depositing money and that means supplying sensitive personal and banking data over the internet. It is something that can be fraught with risk in this age of ever-more subtle cyber-crime.
However, AI is being used to monitor all activity on casino sites and highlight anything that seems unusual and/or suspicious. That provides the sites and the customers with an extra layer of data security, which should enhance the peace of mind of those who play slots.
It also reduces the risk of fraud and the potential for the money deposited by slot players in their casino accounts to be withdrawn by someone who has stolen their identity. This is helpful both for the players and the sites.
How Will AI Impact on Slot Games in the Future?
As AI starts to become more central to the actual design of online slots, it could mean a number of improvements. In particular it could really enhance the themes of the games.
For instance, we are likely to see better visuals. AI is being used now in many games to make the in-game behavior and reactions of secondary characters more believable, giving the experience greater realism for players. That is something that would unquestionably bring the themes of online slots to life more effectively.
It could also be utilized to improve the bonus rounds by making the mathematics employed in the creation of the games better and more accurate. The payouts and bonus prizes are part of the appeal of slot games so that would further enhance the overall experience for players.
Slot fans may even be able to use AI to help them when playing. The games that feature AI are able to record how people bet on and play them, which can benefit both experienced and newer players.
The former will be directed to more challenging play by this machine knowledge, which will yield bigger rewards. The latter will be guided towards simpler play, which will stop them losing more than they win.
There is no question that AI is impacting on the industry in a big way and if it is used to produce the graphics and sound effects for slot games, this could mean job losses. Games created solely through machine learning are likely to be too predictable though, so the input of human beings is almost certain to remain important.
The future of slot games will involve AI, as will all forms of gaming, but that can be a good thing.
