UNLV Launches AI Hub to Study Gaming Industry Impact
The University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) International Gaming Institute has launched a new AI Research Hub (AiR Hub), establishing a dedicated center to navigate the complex digital transformation sweeping through the global gaming industry. This initiative aims to address critical questions posed by the rapid integration of artificial intelligence: how AI is reshaping gaming operations, what governance frameworks are needed for its responsible implementation, which emerging technologies operators must master for competitive advantage, and how cutting-edge academic research can effectively integrate with practical AI applications.
According to Kasra Ghaharian, the institute’s director of research and AiR Hub co-founder, while some research on AI in gaming has existed, there has been no centralized entity to consolidate and drive it forward. Ghaharian and co-founder Simo Dragicevic, an International Gaming Institute (IGI) adjunct fellow with extensive experience in gaming software, regulation, and AI, recognized an opportunity to generate evidence, research, and insights essential for the industry to better understand and leverage AI. This new hub builds upon IGI’s established reputation as a thought leader, providing knowledge and insights across the breadth of the gambling sector, now extending that leadership into the burgeoning field of artificial intelligence.
AI is poised to fundamentally impact all facets of society, and the gaming industry stands to harness its power to create novel and engaging entertainment experiences. However, realizing this potential fully requires a significant uplift in the industry’s AI literacy, a role the AiR Hub is designed to facilitate. Dragicevic emphasizes the critical need for the hub to also scrutinize the potential safety implications arising from AI. Given the inherently sensitive nature of the gambling product, its intersection with a technology as transformative and, at times, controversial as AI, necessitates robust research and guidance to steer the industry responsibly.
The AiR Hub’s collaborative approach is underscored by its very name, emphasizing its function as a “hub” rather than a traditional “lab.” It has garnered financial support from various industry stakeholders, with founding members also serving on an industry advisory panel to ensure the research remains practical and relevant, avoiding an insular “ivory tower” mentality. The hub intends to build frameworks and tools for regulators, inviting them to collaborate with academics and partner universities early in projects to help them formulate the right questions before adapting regulations. Similarly, engaging the industry is crucial to ensure these frameworks are practical and account for the sector’s inherent complexities.
Recent research conducted by the AiR Hub for the Massachusetts Gaming Commission provides a glimpse into AI’s current and future applications within the industry. The findings revealed four key themes of AI adoption: operational efficiencies, ranging from generative AI for back-of-house tasks to creating game assets for slot machines; customer relationship management, player experience, and engagement; and critical areas of risk and responsible gambling. This includes sophisticated applications like anti-money laundering and fraud detection, as well as using advanced algorithms based on player behavioral data to identify individuals potentially developing problematic gambling habits. Beyond these, AI is opening doors to new opportunities in sports betting, enhancing user experience and intuition, and in slot development, enabling the creation of intricate visual images, video, and soundscapes.
As the gaming industry grapples with fierce competition and complex present-day demands, the AiR Hub aims to make anticipating and preparing for AI’s future impact more manageable for both industry players and regulators. Its ongoing challenge will be to stay abreast of the relentless pace of broader AI developments, including the weekly deluge of new research papers and the constant release of new models. The hub aspires to be the definitive “home” for practical research into AI and the gambling industry, with its flagship “State of AI in Gaming” report serving as a comprehensive resource. Ultimately, the goal is to provide deep insights into the opportunities, risks, and challenges posed by AI, empowering the entire industry to adopt this technology more responsibly.