Artificial Agency Secures $16 Million to Revolutionize Gaming with AI-Powered Behavior Engine
Artificial Agency, an innovative AI startup focused on generative behavior in gaming, has emerged from stealth mode with an impressive $16 million in funding.
This investment will accelerate the development of the company’s flagship product: an AI-powered behavior engine designed to seamlessly integrate runtime decision-making into games, creating a truly dynamic gaming experience.
“AI has enormous potential to revolutionize gaming, yet so far, the focus has been largely on limited human-to-AI interactions,” said Brian Tanner, CEO of Artificial Agency. “The real opportunity lies in unleashing generative behavior across entire game worlds, empowering developers to transform characters and other decision-making systems into personalized AI agents with distinct perceptions, actions, personalities, and goals. This innovation opens the door to entirely new game categories that are creative, expressive, and deeply individualized.”
Artificial Agency’s behavior engine enables game developers to inject generative AI into various game mechanics, enhancing player engagement through lively interactions and a compelling narrative. Developers can implement minor improvisations in scripted dialogues or create fully autonomous AI players, along with high-level gamekeeper systems that manage pacing and direct players toward hidden game elements. This flexibility results in a richer, more immersive experience, keeping players engaged and reducing churn.
“Our goal is to empower studios of all sizes by unlocking creative capabilities through our technology, enhancing both productivity and artistic vision,” said Mike Johanson, co-founder of Artificial Agency. “Our engine is designed for seamless integration into existing workflows, making it customizable to align with any designer’s vision.”
When asked about the engine's functionalities, Artificial Agency clarified that it goes beyond non-player character (NPC) dialogues. Developers can embed it into any decision-making process within the game. For instance, in a Minecraft tech demonstration, when a player expresses hunger, the agent responds appropriately by providing food resources. If the player indicates dietary restrictions, the agent can adapt their response by offering suitable alternatives.
“Our game plugins are crafted by top-tier AAA developers who have built infrastructure for pioneering titles like Mass Effect, Dragon Age, and Anthem. They deliver the flexibility required to implement runtime generative behavior effectively in AAA games,” the company stated.
Furthermore, "Our behavior engine allows full control for developers, enabling them to define roles, enhance perceptions, and create interactive agents that can engage with players, their environments, and other agents in any way a programmer envisions. This ambitious approach cultivates more nuanced agents beyond simple conversational characters and can facilitate companions, curators, and community managers — essentially anything game developers can imagine.”
Having recently raised $16 million, Artificial Agency has been in stealth mode for a year and is developing its engine in collaboration with several notable AAA studios, with plans for a wide release in 2025.
“While there’s been excitement around immediate AI applications — like generating art and dialogue — these are often incremental. We sought a team capable of redefining gaming, and we are thrilled to partner with Brian, Alex, Mike, and Andrew to bring this vision to life,” remarked Daniel Mulet from Radical Ventures, now a board member. “Artificial Agency’s generative behavior engine presents groundbreaking opportunities for studios to rethink the gaming experience.”
The funding comes from Radical Ventures, Toyota Ventures, Flying Fish, Kaya, BDC Deep Tech, TIRTA Ventures, and additional investors.
Based in Edmonton, Canada, a burgeoning hub for AI and gaming innovation, Artificial Agency is a collective of elite AI researchers from Google DeepMind and engineers from renowned AAA studios, all dedicated to advancing the future of gaming.
“Artificial Agency is led by former students and colleagues — individuals I trust implicitly,” stated Richard Sutton, a professor at the University of Alberta and former Google DeepMind research scientist. “They excel at utilizing reinforcement learning to create complex, life-like agents.” Sutton, alongside Professor Michael Bowling, both esteemed pioneers in reinforcement learning, are angel investors in the company.
Founded in 2023 with a team of around 20 professionals, Artificial Agency represents the growth of Alberta’s tech sector. “The investment in our region has fostered a wealth of brilliant AI expertise, and it’s exciting to witness companies like Artificial Agency at the forefront of innovation,” said Nate Glubish, Alberta’s minister of technology and innovation.
“Edmonton consistently leads in AI development,” added Mayor Amarjeet Sohi. “Artificial Agency is yet another notable player in our vibrant tech ecosystem, and I eagerly anticipate their success.”
The co-founders boast impressive AI backgrounds. Tanner holds a master’s degree and nearly completed his doctorate in reinforcement learning, previously serving as the research engineering lead at DeepMind. Co-founder Alex Kearney is an Applied Reinforcement Learning scientist and former research scientist at DeepMind. Johanson, a game theorist and reinforcement learning expert, advanced poker AI and contributed to the development of heads-up limit hold ’em strategies while at DeepMind. Co-founder Andrew Butcher, a machine learning expert and game developer, has worked on acclaimed titles like Dragon Age II and Dragon Age: Inquisition.
Artificial Agency is poised to redefine gaming experiences through its groundbreaking AI technologies.
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