Dive Brief:
- IBM has partnered with the video game publisher Ubisoft to bring its Watson artificial intelligence (AI) interactive speech and cognitive capabilities to the upcoming "Star Trek: Bridge Crew" virtual reality (VR) game, according to a joint press release.
- Players can use voice and natural-language commands to interact with in-game characters later this summer during a beta period following the game's launch later this month.
- The software used to build the feature, IBM's "VR Speech Sandbox," is also now available to all developers to adapt for VR applications and services. The software combines IBM's Watson Unity SDK with Watson Speech to Text and Watson Conversation services.
Dive Insight:
While VR generated a lot of hype in the back half of last year with the introduction of more mid-range, accessible offerings like Google's Daydream headset, a fresh focus on augmented reality (AR) from industry leaders including Apple and Facebook has thrown a little bit of water on that fire. That doesn't mean VR's dropped out of the marketing conversation entirely, and Ubisoft's partnership with a major player in the artificial intelligence space like IBM points to continued interest on the tech side of things.
VR has a strong presence in niche markets like gaming, and the new integrations from IBM's Watson demonstrate how emerging tech like VR and AI might work in concert to create a more immersive, responsive experience. Research has shown that marketing experiences delivered via VR produce stronger emotional reactions and longer engagement times than those done through more traditional formats or even flat 360-degree video.
People that play and enjoy games like "Star Trek: Bridge Crew" ultimately become more comfortable with the concept and practice of using these technologies in other areas like, say, retail. The success or failure of an effort like this can help marketers understand what does and doesn't work when employing this type of tech, and where users' comfort levels break down.