Lee Kang-wook, head of Krafton's Deep Learning Division, introduces the company's co-playable character at Fontainebleau Las Vegas, Wednesday (local time). Courtesy of Krafton

LAS VEGAS — Game developer Krafton introduced its artificial intelligence (AI) model co-playable character (CPC), which is a nonplayer character (NPC) capable of dynamic interactions with players developed in collaboration with Nvidia, during the CES 2025 tech trade show in Las Vegas, Wednesday (local time).

Krafton participated in Nvidia's showcase of Nvidia Ace technology at Fontainebleau Las Vegas, presenting the CPC introduced for its flagship title, PUBG: Battlegrounds, as the model case of Nvidia Ace technology. The technology enables game characters to use generative AI "to perceive, plan and act like human players."

Lee Kang-wook, head of Krafton's Deep Learning Division, demonstrated the CPC during the event, describing it as "a groundbreaking character concept enabled by an on-device small-language model for gaming."

Unlike traditional NPCs, a CPC is capable of having dynamic interactions with the player, including real-time conversations, strategic cooperation and flexible responses tailored to in-game scenarios, enabling the player to actually team up with NPCs that act like human players.

"We will continue to innovate user experiences by integrating CPCs into our games and aim to establish it as a benchmark for the gaming industry," Lee said. "Our collaboration with Nvidia is a testament to the transformative potential of AI in gaming, and we plan to work closely together to push the boundaries of what is possible."

In a video, Krafton revealed PUBG Ally, a CPC capable of engaging in casual conversations, adapting strategies and refining gameplay to align with user dynamics.

Along with PUBG: Battlegrounds, CPCs will be introduced in a number of PUBG franchise titles, as well as life simulation game inZOI. For inZOI, the demonstration highlighted Smart Zoi, a CPC with distinct personality traits and emotional depth, offering highly immersive simulation experiences through lifelike interactions with players.

Krafton set up demonstrations in collaboration with Nvidia to give attendees a hands-on experience of CPC-integrated gameplay.