Official Pokemon Scarlet and Violet Tournament Will Use AI, Says The Pokemon Company

gamerant.com:

An upcoming official Pokemon Scarlet and Violet tournament will utilize new AI technology, according to The Pokemon Company. While the AI shouldn't have any direct impact on the competitors themselves, the move may still come as a surprise.

Pokemon tournaments are a big spectacle, whether competitors are playing in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet or the Pokemon Trading Card Game. However, while Pokemon competitions are fun to partake in, some viewers may find themselves bored or confused while watching, which is where this technology is supposed to step in.

According to The Pokemon Company, the upcoming Pokemon Dragon King Tournament will feature an AI tool called Pokemon Battle Scope, or PBS. As reported by Automaton, the system was developed with the assistance of a Japanese AI company called HEROZ. Rather than having any input on the fights themselves, the AI system will be utilized to automatically display important information regarding the match, including predicting what move a player will take next and who the winner will be. The system will allegedly take into account everything from a Pokemon's moves to their types, weather conditions impacting the Pokemon playing field, and choices made by the players themselves.

This particular development likely won't cause too much of a stir among Pokemon fans, though it could potentially have an impact on those commentating on the games, should it become a widespread feature. It also remains to be seen how accurate the Pokemon Battle Scope will be. Its first use will be on February 25, so fans don't have to wait too long to find out if it's effective or not.

This isn't the first brush that the Pokemon series at large has had with AI, however. In addition to fans using AI to try and predict starter evolutions and to make fanart, Pokemon GO developer Niantic has previously been accused by some fans of using AI to generate promotional art. While Niantic failed to provide a direct yes or no on whether it had done so, the company