The Advancement of AI-Powered Role-Playing: From Norse Legends to Local 70B Models

In the last few years, the world of AI-assisted storytelling (RP) has experienced a dramatic transformation. What originated as experimental ventures with primitive AI has grown into a thriving community of tools, resources, and user groups. This piece explores the existing environment of AI RP, from widely-used tools to innovative techniques.

The Rise of AI RP Platforms

Various tools have risen as popular hubs for AI-assisted storytelling and role-play. These allow users to participate in both classic role-playing and more mature ERP (sensual storytelling) scenarios. Personas like Euryvale, or original creations like Lumimaid have become fan favorites.

Meanwhile, other websites have become increasingly favored for sharing and exchanging "character cards" – ready-to-use digital personas that users can interact with. The Backyard AI community has been notably active in designing and sharing these cards.

Advancements in Language Models

The accelerated evolution of advanced AI systems (LLMs) has been a key driver of AI RP's proliferation. Models like Llama.cpp and the mythical "HyperVerbal" (a theoretical future model) showcase the expanding prowess of AI in producing coherent and environmentally cognizant responses.

Model customization has become a crucial technique for adjusting these models to specific RP scenarios or character personalities. This approach allows for more sophisticated and reliable interactions.

The Push for Privacy and Control

As AI RP has gained mainstream appeal, so too has the call for data privacy and personal autonomy. This has led to read more the rise 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 NeuralCore.cpp have made it achievable for users to operate powerful language models on their local machines. This "local LLM" approach attracts those concerned about data privacy or those who simply appreciate customizing AI systems.

Various tools have gained popularity as accessible options for managing local models, including impressive 70B parameter versions. These more complex models, while processing-heavy, offer improved performance for elaborate RP scenarios.

Pushing Boundaries and Investigating New Frontiers

The AI RP community is recognized for its inventiveness and determination to push boundaries. Tools like Neural Path Optimization allow for fine-grained control over AI outputs, potentially leading to more adaptable and spontaneous characters.

Some users seek out "unrestricted" or "obliterated" models, targeting maximum creative freedom. However, this sparks ongoing ethical debates within the community.

Focused services have surfaced to serve specific niches or provide alternative approaches to AI interaction, often with a focus on "privacy-first" policies. Companies like recursal.ai and featherless.ai are among those exploring innovative approaches in this space.

The Future of AI RP

As we look to the future, several patterns are emerging:

Heightened focus on self-hosted and secure AI solutions
Advancement of more capable and streamlined models (e.g., speculated Quants)
Exploration of groundbreaking techniques like "neversleep" for sustaining long-term context
Integration of AI with other technologies (VR, voice synthesis) for more engaging experiences
Characters like Lumimaid hint at the prospect for AI to generate entire virtual universes and expansive narratives.

The AI RP field remains a nexus of invention, with collectives like IkariDev expanding the limits of what's attainable. As GPU technology advances and techniques like neural compression boost capabilities, we can expect even more impressive AI RP experiences in the coming years.

Whether you're a casual role-player or a dedicated "AI researcher" working on the next discovery in AI, the world of AI-powered RP offers limitless potential for innovation and adventure.