Video game AI opponents boost play time, gaming with friends

Can playing against AI make people more social?

New research suggests the answer may be yes. After the popular multiplayer game PUBG: Battlegrounds introduced AI-controlled opponents, players not only spent more time in the game but also teamed up with friends more often. Researchers say the AI opponents gave newer players a chance to build confidence, making them more likely to stick with the game and play socially.

One of the best-selling video games of all time, Battlegrounds connects dozens of players together on a single map in an effort to stay alive as long as possible. Launched in 2017, the game faced a common problem in the video game industry as it matured: attracting new players.

“At a game’s peak, there are a lot of experienced players, so new players don’t have an incentive to join the game, because they’re always being defeated,” said Liangfei Qiu, a professor in the University of Florida’s Warrington College of Business and co-author of the study, which is forthcoming in Information Systems Research.

To combat this problem, Battlegrounds began adding AI opponents to some matches starting in 2020. Tuned to be just a little worse than the average human player, the computer-controlled characters made it easier for new players to practice their skills and gain confidence in the game.

Importantly, while players knew that there were some AI players in a match, there was no way to tell who was human and who was a computer. 

After AI opponents were introduced, players spent about 50% more time in the game and played more matches. But they weren’t simply playing alone against the computer. Their increased success pushed them to spend more time playing alongside friends, with a 28% increase in team play.

Because the AI opponents weren’t labeled, players experienced more success without always knowing whether they'd beaten a person or a bot. (Players who want more authentic competition can choose to play in game modes that only allow human players.)

The researchers argue those wins boosted players' confidence and willingness to play with friends.

“The underlying mechanism is based on enhancing players' self-efficacy and sense of responsibility toward teammates. That’s why they play more games and play more games with their friends,” said Qiu, himself a Battlegrounds player.

While the study focused on one video game, Qiu said the lesson extends beyond entertainment. Rather than replacing newcomers, he argues AI could help people gain the experience and confidence they need to advance — whether that's in a game or at work. 

“If we can build an agentic AI foundation at the bottom of an organization, those agents can help people, not replace people,” he said.