Our developers are tentatively enthusiastic about the potential for artificial intelligence (AI) integration in Senaryon. We asked our developers to create a wish list of AI features that could be incorporated into our simulation game platform, with the caveat that they didn't have to consider the broader implications such as ethical, legal, privacy, and data-security concerns (quite a strong caveat, of course…).

Please note that AI, in the context of this list, refers to Large Language Models (LLMs) - advanced AI models that understand and generate human-like text. 

Facilitation and Moderation Tools:

AI-Enhanced News Feed and Scenario Adaptations: A key aspect of many game scenarios is their responsiveness to real-world developments and the dynamic nature of news and social media content that influences political actors. AI could be utilized to suggest events, news items, and social media posts that align with the current game situation. Facilitators would receive AI-generated proposals, which they could review, modify, and approve for inclusion in the game's news feed. This would enable more frequent and immersive updates, enriching the overall gaming experience.

AI-Assisted Task Feedback: Our task system permits grading free-text tasks. Our developer envisions an AI grade suggester that evaluates both the task description within the context of the game and the student's response, providing feedback on content and writing ability. With the help of a "puzzle piece" prompt, such as “Stern, but impartial” or “Excited and impressed”, moderators could optionally modify the tone and then proceed to check, amend, and submit the feedback.

AI-Powered Content Moderation: AI could be employed to monitor whether messages in the in-game chat system stay on topic or deviate from appropriate content. While we have a flagging system in place, AI could swiftly detect attempts to derail the simulation, either alerting the moderator or intervening directly in the chat.

In-Game Tools

Formal Writing Assistant: Many of our simulations, particularly those we conduct at universities, involve high-level formal communication. We could offer participants a toggleable assistant that offers to monitor communications, offering guidance on enhancing formal language. The assessment and hints would be shown either before sending a message, or as part of a post-game report. This tool could also assist with structuring and refining drafts or group resolutions. 

AI-Generated Summaries: We could introduce an AI journalist role to create and share press releases or daily summaries during asynchronous games that take place over a time span of 2-6 weeks. These summaries would help moderators stay informed and engaged, and supplement our notifications system by offering an easy way for participants to catch up on what they have missed since they last logged in.

Thinking outside the box

AI-Werewolf: A Meta Simulation on AI's far-reaching implications for society built atop a successful simulation series, e.g. in combination with an online game on a topic related to digital policy. Drawing inspiration from the game Werewolf, an AI would participate in the simulation as a player, engaging in chats and votes. The AI's identity could either be revealed at the end or kept secret, with participants tasked to discover the AI player throughout the game. 

Exploring AI Bias with a Pure AI Game: A simulation game author from planpolitik, has been examining the use of AI as an aid for creating simulation game roles. A key finding was the presence of a moral bias in AI-generated content. Given the importance of representing diverse perspectives in simulations, we could study the outcome of a game played entirely by AI actors. Or different game scenarios created with the help of AI could be compared and analysed with regard to their implicit biases.

The scope for integrating AI into Senaryon is substantial, and it could significantly impact the experiences of platform users ranging from CMS users to moderators and participants. As AI advances, simulation games will undoubtedly undergo fascinating transformations, but the wider effects of AI on society demand further examination. What a fitting premise for a simulation game! If you're interested in collaborating on such a game or project, please don't hesitate to reach out to us!