Skyrim Mod Uses ChatGPT and Other AI Tools to Give NPCs a New Life
A modder named Art From The Machine is currently working on a Skyrim mod that uses ChatGPT and other AI tools to enhance NPCs' interactions and take them to a whole new level.
According to PC Gamer, the mod uses ChatGPT in conjunction with xVASynth for text-to-speech and Whisper for speech-to-text. These tools allow NPCs to speak new answers with an AI version of their voice, and players can use their voice via a mic to ask questions. This means that NPCs can now comment on nearly everything you do and even answer questions directly from the player.
While the technology looks promising, the new responses aren't quite natural yet, and they can be a bit slow. The mod shows that NPCs can comment on nearly everything you do, and they can even answer questions based on the in-game clock.
The video showcases a conversation with Ulfberth War-Bear from Warmaiden's in Whiterun. Ulfberth describes a sword the player picks up, showing that any NPC with the proper knowledge could dynamically explain various items in the world to you as part of a conversation instead of having that info solely in text form in some menu.
Art From The Machine is working on using a basic memory system in tandem with ChatGPT to help NPCs remember conversations and condense them down for future prompts. The modder is hoping to implement much more sophisticated tools in the future.
One of the biggest ongoing questions will be if AI-driven text can ever match that of a human. Only time will tell, but this mod shows great promise in enhancing the game's NPCs and taking the game to a whole new level.
