From early rule-based tricks to today’s generative wizardry, AI quietly shapes what you feel on the controller, what you see on screen, and what you hear in performances — and it even helps keep players safe.

We’ll start with a classic: Pac-Man’s ‘ghost personalities’, where simple rules make Blinky, Pinky, Inky and Clyde feel uncannily human. Then we’ll go behind the scenes to meet crafty foes, pixel-sharpening magic like modern upscalers, lively voice tools, and the unseen bouncers that keep matches friendly.

Join me for this whirlwind tour of the hidden brains that make games surprising, fair and fun.