The Progression of AI-Enabled Character Simulation: From Fimbulvetr to Next-Gen Language Models
In recent years, the realm of AI-assisted storytelling (RP) has undergone a dramatic transformation. What started as experimental ventures with early language models has grown into a vibrant ecosystem of platforms, services, and enthusiasts. This overview explores the present state of AI RP, from user favorites to groundbreaking techniques.
The Rise of AI RP Platforms
Various platforms have emerged as popular centers for AI-powered narrative creation and immersive storytelling. These allow users to experience both traditional RP and more adult-oriented ERP (intimate character interactions) scenarios. Avatars like Noromaid, or custom personalities like Midnight Miqu have become popular choices.
Meanwhile, other websites have become increasingly favored for distributing and circulating "character cards" – customizable AI entities that users can engage. The IkariDev community has been especially active in creating and sharing these cards.
Breakthroughs in Language Models
The accelerated evolution of advanced AI systems (LLMs) has been a crucial factor of AI RP's growth. Models like LLaMA-3 and the fabled "OmniLingua" (a theoretical future model) showcase the expanding prowess of AI in producing consistent and context-aware responses.
AI personalization has become a essential technique for adapting these models to unique RP scenarios or character personalities. This method allows for more nuanced and stable interactions.
The Drive for Privacy and Control
As AI RP has grown in popularity, so too has the need for confidentiality and user control. This has led to the development of "local LLMs" and self-hosted AI options. Various "LLM hosting" services have been created to meet this need.
Initiatives like Kobold AI and implementations of Llama.cpp have made it possible for users to run powerful language models on their personal devices. This "on-device AI" approach attracts those worried about data privacy or those who simply appreciate experimenting with AI systems.
Various tools have become widely adopted as intuitive options for deploying local models, including powerful 70B parameter versions. These more complex models, while GPU-demanding, offer improved performance for intricate RP scenarios.
Exploring Limits and Exploring New Frontiers
The AI RP community is known for its creativity and determination to break new ground. Tools like Cognitive Vector Control allow for detailed adjustment over AI outputs, potentially leading to more versatile and spontaneous characters.
Some users seek out "abiliterated" or "augmented" models, striving for maximum creative freedom. However, this sparks ongoing ethical debates within the community.
Specialized tools have appeared to cater to specific niches or provide novel approaches to AI interaction, often with a focus on "data protection" policies. Companies like recursal.ai and featherless.ai are among those exploring innovative approaches in this space.
The Future of AI RP
As we anticipate the future, several trends are becoming apparent:
Growing focus on self-hosted and secure AI solutions
Development of more sophisticated and optimized models (e.g., rumored Quants)
Investigation of groundbreaking techniques like "perpetual context" here for maintaining long-term context
Fusion of AI with other technologies (VR, voice synthesis) for more engaging experiences
Characters like Euryvale hint at the possibility for AI to produce entire imaginary realms and expansive narratives.
The AI RP domain remains a hotbed of advancement, with groups like Backyard AI expanding the limits of what's possible. As GPU technology progresses and techniques like quantization enhance performance, we can expect even more impressive AI RP experiences in the coming years.
Whether you're a casual role-player or a committed "neural engineer" working on the next innovation in AI, the domain of AI-powered RP offers limitless potential for innovation and exploration.