I remember the first time I saw an AI beat a game for me. It was a weird mix of awe and existential dread—like watching a robot absolutely destroy something I’d spent weeks struggling with, all while making it look effortless.
It wasn’t even some advanced, cutting-edge tech. Just a basic script running on an emulator, playing through an old-school platformer with inhuman precision. It dodged every obstacle, landed every jump with pixel-perfect accuracy, and cleared an entire level in seconds.
I sat there watching, controller in hand, wondering: Am I even needed anymore?
Because if AI can play the game better than me, what happens when it becomes part of the game itself?
AI Is Already Playing Games for Us
Most people don’t realize it, but AI is already playing our games—not just as an opponent, but as a co-pilot, an assistant, a replacement for actual skill.
- Auto-aim in shooters is basically an AI helping you land shots.
- Driving assist in racing games prevents you from wiping out every time you take a turn too fast.
- AI teammates in co-op games make sure you’re never truly alone, even if nobody else is online.
- AI-driven difficulty scaling adjusts the game so you never get too frustrated.
And the more AI is integrated into gaming, the less we actually have to play.
AI Can Learn Faster Than You Ever Will
AI doesn’t learn like we do. It doesn’t struggle, it doesn’t get distracted, it doesn’t hit a skill plateau. It just processes data, adapts, and optimizes—without hesitation, without second-guessing.
That’s why we’ve already seen AI beat some of the hardest games ever made.
- DeepMind’s AI crushed top StarCraft II players—in a game that requires insane levels of strategy and real-time adaptation.
- AI bots have beaten pro-level Dota 2 teams—mastering teamwork, positioning, and reflex-based decision-making better than actual humans.
- AI can speedrun games in ways no human ever could—using glitches, optimizing movement, and executing perfect strategies without a single mistake.
And while it’s impressive, it also raises a question:
If AI can master any game better than a human, what’s the point of playing?
At What Point Does AI Stop Helping and Start Playing for Us?
It starts small—little conveniences, little “quality of life” improvements. Maybe an AI assistant that helps you with difficult fights. Maybe a system that automatically optimizes your character’s build so you don’t have to waste time min-maxing.
But then what?
- AI that plays the grind for you in RPGs, so you don’t have to waste time farming XP?
- AI that solves puzzles for you when you get stuck, so you never feel frustrated?
- AI that plays the entire game for you—so you can just watch the story without the effort?
That last one? It already exists.
Square Enix literally added a mode in Final Fantasy XVI where you don’t have to do anything—just press a single button, and the game plays itself.
Ubisoft has AI-generated gameplay assistance that can literally complete challenges for you if you’re struggling.
Some mobile games are already 100% automated—you just log in, click a button, and let the AI handle everything.
We are actively replacing gameplay with automation—and nobody seems to be questioning where this leads.
Are We Even Playing Games Anymore? Or Just Watching Them?
If AI can play the game better than us, if AI can make decisions for us, if AI can complete challenges so we don’t have to, then what are we even doing?
At what point does playing a game just become watching an algorithm entertain us?
And if that happens, do games even matter anymore? Or do they just become interactive movies where the only real participant is the AI itself?
Because if that’s the future, I have to ask—why even bother?