Slots suppliers cautious on potential use cases for Artificial Intelligence

Asia’s leading slot machine suppliers will take a cautious approach to the implementation of Artificial Intelligence into their gaming products, a panel of industry representatives told G2E Asia attendees on Wednesday.

The technology could, however, provide useful information to operators around player preferences and gaming floor layout.

The topic was discussed during a panel session at G2E Asia in Singapore, with IGT’s Sales Director – Asia, Michael Cheers, warning there was only so far suppliers could go when it came to the use cases for AI.

“I think you would need a certain level of regulator involvement,” Cheers said.

“Remember we have very strict rules around what we are allowed to put into the market. The challenge as such is how do we smartly utilize the power of AI in better defining the product type that is needed the player profiles that we need to work with as in cost to cover, jackpot setups and things like that?

“I think it is a challenge, we’d need regulator partnership to a large extent because there are certain boundaries in relation to the products we develop and sell. I think it would be a cautious approach.”

While utilizing AI in slot products themselves may prove difficult, Light & Wonder Vice President and Managing Director for Asia, Ken Jolly, said there may be better opportunities in relation to gaming systems.

“When you look at the systems side of the business, AI will play a role there analyzing the data that’s coming back in from the way people play games, the way people spend their money, the way things are configured on the floor and where players want to go on floors,” Jolly said.

“That information in terms of systems, AI will play a role there in being smarter and better at reporting back to the operator so they can adapt their floors for the player of the future.”