Uploaded September 2020 | Updated September 2026, 1 week ago
This months Smoke and Mirrors takes me back to the FEAR franchise as I finally get around to completing F.3.A.R. or F.E.A.R. 3 - whatever. It's... a bit of a mixed bag.
Music in this episode is from TeknoAxe:
teknoaxe.com
--
Smoke and Mirrors is the game review series as part of YouTube channel 'AI and Games': a series on research and applications of Artificial Intelligence in video games. AI and Games is funded thanks to our supporters on Patreon, plus YouTube members and Paypal donations. You can watch episodes of Smoke and Mirrors *early* by joining the Patreon or YouTube memberships.
patreon.com/ai_and_games
youtube.com/channel/UCov_51F0betb6hJ6Gumxg3Q/join
paypal.me/AIandGames
--
Get yourself an AI and Games t-shirt over on Teespring!
teespring.com/stores/aiandgames
You can follow AI and Games on Twitter:
twitter.com/AIandGames
This months Smoke and Mirrors takes me back to the FEAR franchise as I finally get around to completing F.3.A.R. or F.E.A.R. 3 - whatever. It's... a bit of a mixed bag.
Music in this episode is from TeknoAxe:
teknoaxe.com
--
Smoke and Mirrors is the game review series as part of YouTube channel 'AI and Games': a series on research and applications of Artificial Intelligence in video games. AI and Games is funded thanks to our supporters on Patreon, plus YouTube members and Paypal donations. You can watch episodes of Smoke and Mirrors *early* by joining the Patreon or YouTube memberships.
patreon.com/ai_and_games
youtube.com/channel/UCov_51F0betb6hJ6Gumxg3Q/join
paypal.me/AIandGames
--
Get yourself an AI and Games t-shirt over on Teespring!
teespring.com/stores/aiandgames
You can follow AI and Games on Twitter:
twitter.com/AIandGames

![Stellar Blades Hot New K-Slop | AI and Games Podcast #03
Since the AI and Games Podcast launched Tommy’s been out and about and busy attending games industry events. So we’re circling back to some of the big stories that have happened recently, including EA’s Generative AI adoption targets, Xbox continuing to burn brightly, EU AI Act, Stellar Blade’s K-Pop/K-Slop music video, and more.
Timestamps
[00:00] Preshow Stinger
[01:16] Welcome!
[06:42] Support AI and Games
[09:17] Catching up on my Backlog
[12:57] Pragmata
[20:03] MINOS
[26:33] Sponsored by AWS
[27:39] Headline Catch-Up
[28:14] Japan’s JOGA Report
[30:47] Shifting Policy on AI for UK and China
[32:11] Xbox is Burning
[39:37] EA’s GenAI “Adoption Targets”
[47:17] Stellar Blade’s AI-Generated K-Pop Video
[52:32] EU AI Act Transparency
[58:32] Introducing ‘Below the Line’
[01:01:41] Credits
Links and References
Pragmata on Steam:
https://store.steampowered.com/app/3357650/PRAGMATA/
MINOS on Steam:
https://store.steampowered.com/app/3181650/MINOS/
Our newsletter on EU AI Act transparency:
https://www.aiandgames.com/p/what-does-the-eus-ai-transparency
Our newsletter covering many of the stories in this issue from last week:
https://www.aiandgames.com/p/uk-and-chinas-shifting-ai-mandates
That weird Stellar Blade K-Pop music video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Ncuote9ADo
The AI and Games Podcast is presented by AWS for Games.
http://www.aws.com
All of our work including the AI and Games YouTube series, newsletter, and this here podcast is fan-funded by our community. You can support our work and get access to bonus content by visiting http://www.aIandgames.com.
Follow AI and Games on social media.
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@aiandgames
BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/aiandgames.bsky.social
If youre interested in working with us, check out the following:
Sponsorship Enquiries: https://www.passionfroot.me/aiandgames
Business Enquiries: https://www.aiandgames.com/p/professional-services Stellar Blades Hot New K-Slop | AI and Games Podcast #03](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/H3bbTN5kZxk/mqdefault.jpg)
![An Overview of AI in the Games Industry in 2026 | AI and Games Podcast #01
For the opening episode of our shiny new AI and Games podcast - presented in association with AWS for Games - I wanted to give an overview on how and where AI exists within the video games industry.
This is far from an exhaustive overview, and one that will continue to shift as technology trends evolve. If you want to learn more, be sure to check out:
- Our main case study series on the @AIandGames YouTube Channel.
- Our weekly newsletter at: http://www.aiandgames.com
- The original overview I wrote in 2024 for the YouTube channel and website
https://www.aiandgames.com/p/how-ai-is-actually-used-in-the-video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j3LW5no-5Ao
[00:00] Intro
[02:58] AI Fundamentals
[06:13] Game AI
[13:00] Machine Learning for Production
[24:09] Sponsor Message by AWS
[25:15] The Surge of Generative AI Hype
[27:30] The Rise of Gen AI Adoption
[34:14] Inconsistent Adoption, False Narratives & Cutting Corners
[41:23] Outro
AI and Games Plus is our second channel dedicated to Artificial Intelligence in video games, including the AI and Games Podcast!
Check out all of our content:
AI and Games: http://www.youtube.com/@AIandGames
AI and Games Plus: http://www.youtube.com/@AIandGamesPlus
Livestreams on Twitch: http://www.twitch.tv/aiandgames
Newsletter: http://www.aiandgames.com
Join our Discord Community: https://discord.aiandgames.com
You can support AI and Games via our website, but also on Patreon and via YouTube memberships. In return, you get bonus stuff and good vibes!
http://www.aiandgames.com
http://www.patreon.com/aiandgames
https://www.youtube.com/@AIandGames/join
Follow AI and Games on social media.
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@aiandgames
BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/aiandgames.bsky.social
If youre interested in working with us, check out the following:
Sponsorship Enquiries: https://www.passionfroot.me/aiandgames
Business Enquiries: https://www.aiandgames.com/p/professional-services An Overview of AI in the Games Industry in 2026 | AI and Games Podcast #01](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/Hg1rbnHRua8/mqdefault.jpg)







![Reaching the Next Level with Mike Cook | AI and Games Podcast #02
We welcome our first guest to the AI and Games podcast: Dr Michael Cook is a senior lecturer at King’s College London and has over a decade’s experiences as a researcher in procedural content generation and generative design for video games. Earlier this year he published ‘Next Level’, a book designed to be an introductory text for people new to PCG in games, and provides a fun and accessible entry point for people who don’t have a background in computer science to understand what’s happening.
Tommy sits down with Mike for a right good natter about the process of bringing ‘Next Level’ to life. From the challenges of introducing complex subject matter to a general audience, deciding on what topics to cover, and why you can’t talk about Dwarf Fortress without also bringing up Caves of Cud.
Catch Tommy’s review of ‘Next Level’ on the AI and Games newsletter:
https://www.aiandgames.com/p/next-level-a-warm-and-encouraging
Chapters
[00:00] Were all Stupid
[00:55] Intro
[04:12] Kicking Off
[08:22] Origins of Next Level
[14:06] Finding the Voice of the Book
[19:03] Ordering the Topics
[23:09] The Line Between Textbook and Pop Science
[25:35] Feeling Out PCG
[29:14] Deciding on the Games
[32:57] Dwarf Fortress & Caves of Cud
[36:44] Sponsor Message: AWS
[37:52] Defining Worlds Through Generative Systems
[44:52] Generative AI vs Generative Design
[54:57] Next Level 2?
[01:03:49] Wrapping Up
[01:04:46] Credits
The AI and Games Podcast is presented by AWS for Games.
http://www.aws.com
All of our work including the AI and Games YouTube series, newsletter, and this here podcast is fan-funded by our community. You can support our work and get access to bonus content by visiting http://www.aIandgames.com.
Follow AI and Games on social media.
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@aiandgames
BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/aiandgames.bsky.social
If youre interested in working with us, check out the following:
Sponsorship Enquiries: https://www.passionfroot.me/aiandgames
Business Enquiries: https://www.aiandgames.com/p/professional-services Reaching the Next Level with Mike Cook | AI and Games Podcast #02](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/KJNoLluJCss/mqdefault.jpg)