With artificial intelligence against a technological conspiracy: “Assistant”

The AI ​​song that gains awareness and turns against its creators is now an old song. Before machines finally catch up with us, the next technology revolution has yet to come. In the game ARG “Acolyte” is already at the door.

to Rene Froschmeier

The assistants are female and female AI assistants. Designed according to the wants and needs of users, they plan appointments or comb the Internet for inquiries or conversations. Without static dialogue options, as a human is possible. So chatbot deluxe.

But before the launch of Acolyte will rock the world, the program must be finalized. This is where we come as software testers who look for bugs and bugs. Our motto: Experience the power of AI!

On the trail of a technical plot?

This is how we check the help of the assistant Anna – she “lives” in our smartphone. Our communication with Anna is based on texts only. The software looks flawless until an error message appears and the distorted face of our AI opponent asks us for help. When a suspected whistleblower calls you, it turns out there’s something stinking in here. The technology startup Nanomax, which is behind Acolytes, is said to be linked to human experimentation. A crude theory or a technical conspiracy?

When the game occurs in the browser

As an ARG (alternate reality game), the game mechanics of “Acolyte” are not limited to your own game interface. With our partner at AI, Anna, we try to figure out the machinations of the parent company – and soon we end up on the World Wide Web. Blog posts, homepages, and social media profiles are combined into our search. But this is not easy.

Think outside the box! We comb through source codes, analyze image files for clues using web tools or perform spectral analyzes of encoded audio files. What do you do as a poorly paid software tester?

Little by little, the fog lifts around the shady company of Nanomax – and the cruel secret behind the Acolytes is seeping into the public.

Work hard for the truth

The core of the highly visible ARG police game “Acolyte” is challenging and demanding puzzles. The game’s smartphone screen interface takes a bit of getting used to at first, but helps when immersed in the plot. The almost sympathetic answers from our assistants are also crucial in this matter.

In order to make the video game AI look more human than chatbots, the British developer studio super thread on me Soul AI, an artificial intelligence that creates natural dialogues that adapt to the other person. Different decisions have consequences in the course of the game – and open different paths.

“Acolyte” is a perfect game for professional detectives who only have to smile at crossword puzzles, Sudoku and the like. So, detectives, stay on the (digital) road!