London, UK — James Wu, General Manager of AI Partnerships at GameBot, spoke at PG Connects London's panel “All In or Incremental? What’s the Best Way to Integrate AI in Your Production" on January 19. The discussion brought together industry leaders to examine how game studios are deploying AI in real production environments—beyond hype and experimentation.

As a global leader in AI-driven game agents, Wu shared GameBot’s hands-on experience building next-generation bots and NPCs for top titles including PUBG Mobile, and League of Legends: Wild Rift. Since 2019, GameBot has helped studios replace scripted behavior trees with adaptive AI agents—leveraging reinforcement learning and large language models—to improve player experience, increase retention by up to 6% and DAU by up to 15%.

The session opened with a shared reality: AI is no longer experimental. Studios across indie, AA, and AAA are already using AI in production pipelines. The real debate has shifted to how deeply AI should be integrated, and what kind of value it should deliver.

The panel also  featured Volkan Gurel (Layer AI), Japhet Asher (Polarity Reversal), David Jiminez (2Awesome Studio), Hege Tokerud (Aiba), and Charlotte Cook (MCALM Consultancy).

Using AI Meaningfully

Addressing the growing pressure on studios to incorporate AI, Wu warned against forced adoption without clear value. He emphasized that successful AI adoption is less about scale or ambition, and more about deploying AI where it meaningfully improves the game.

“Almost every game company I see mandates its teams to embrace AI—the slogan is even posted in restrooms,” Wu shared, referencing the Chinese gaming market. “But the outcome is that their AI teams are either stuck doing basic daily routines or reinventing the wheel.”

He cited a concrete example: “One client built a 40-plus person AI team to replace our services. Four years later, we’re still collaborating with them. That’s a clear sign of the pitfalls of forcing AI where it isn’t a fit.”

AI in Gameplay

Wu noted that AI appears differently to players depending on its role in gameplay.

"Things like advanced AI NPCs, AI bosses, or in-game AI copilots. Players know these are intelligent features, and that transparency actually boosts engagement," he said.  

Other AI systems operate directly within matches as teammates or opponents, where the focus is realism and flow, he added.

"For these use cases...what matters is the experience: smoother matches, better onboarding, more enjoyable gameplay."

A Clear Path Forward for Studios

In his closing takeaway, Wu emphasized that incremental rollouts and all-in strategic commitment are "not mutually exclusive”.

"At the strategic level, you need to fully embrace AI as a non-negotiable part of your future roadmap. But when it comes to tactical execution, take it step by step: integrate AI smartly into high-impact areas first," he said.

He also encouraged studios to collaborate with experienced partners rather than go it alone.

“This isn’t outsourcing—it’s letting experts do what they do best, while your in-house teams learn and grow through hands-on collaboration with proven technology.”

As the panel concluded, one message was clear: AI is already reshaping game production. Studios that adopt it and deploy it where it truly matters will define the next generation of player experience. GameBot remains committed to leading the industry in game agent innovation, continuing to redefine the future of game AI.