Commentary
How AI changes every operational aspect of entertainment and hospitality
The opportunity to offer an enhanced guest experience results in the maximum needs being achieved from the venue's services. Management is able to use the collected data to maximize activities and not waste efforts.
May 8, 2023 by Kevin Williams
Keeping track of the ways artificial intelligence is changing amusements and entertainment gets harder by the day.
The use of sophisticated tracking technology that can monitor movements and even purchasing preferences of facility guests have already come to depend on AI through machine learning — the ability to collect data and then use this to improve on the process or performance of the task.
Linked to computer vision monitoring and supporting QR codes, the ability to create the ultimate frictionless environment has been leveraged. A concept that has been trialed in cafeterias, airports and stadiums, now comes to the mainstream.
Amazon Go catches on
This is best illustrated by Amazon Go — a 20-strong chain of convenience stores, branded "Just Walk Out," allows shoppers to download an app and then walk through a store, grabbing what they want and then walking out without needing to visit a payment register.
It is based on the patented Amazon "smart shelf" cashierless technology. The company is not the only developer of such infrastructure, with a recent experiment by Dave & Buster's, in partnership with Coca-Cola, using Zippin AI tech – the creation of cashierless snack counters for the entertainment chain, in yet another example of addressing staffing and convenience needs.
The ability to use apps to ensure "just in time" refilling of machines inventory, based on predictive AI, has also played a part in streamlining the servicing of vending machines. This AI approach also helps shape menus and calculates better pricing models for popular dishes in some venues.
New profit streams
Using smart shelf technology and a dedicated machine learning approach to charting guests' preferences, the ability to maximize the hospitality aspect of the business can grow, with operators finding new profit streams they never knew existed.
An interesting aspect of machine learning beyond facility operation is its employment in the games being deployed within these sites — games using the collection of players' movements and behaviors through computer vision cameras placed into an experience.
This is best illustrated by Valo Motion's new ValoArena platform. The immersive enclosure has up to six players taking part in various game experiences, their physical representation placed into the action, and their movements steering the outcome of the game — the latest application of "motion capture," known as "MoCap."
Extreme reality catches on
We see MoCap being employed in the latest VR arena attractions from the likes of VEX Solutions, Hero Zone, Lightning VR, Creative Works, Dreamscape and SandboxVR, to name a few, with dedicated environments created virtually for multiple players to compete within. Their movements are captured by tracking systems, and the latest extreme reality immersive enclosure systems utilize similar advanced MoCap to be able to place the guests into the game.
This is seen with platforms from Attraktions, Taito, NeoXperience, Inowize and from sites such as Immersive GameBox, Five Irons and Toca Social. The ability to place the guests into the immersive experience is driving a new world of innovation only achievable with the ability to handle big data.
Avatars enter the mix
Another aspect in embracing AI is towards the creation of in-game avatars — non-player characters known as NPCs. The dream of having smart NPCs, and even lifelike avatars, has been a dream in gaming.
Now, using ChatGPT and other AI systems, this takes a step closer, with research into the consumer VR game Golf+. This experiments with an "AI caddy," whose interactions with the player are enabled by the technology, while the "caddy" offers advice on the best clubs for the course and how to play the game.
While in an early experimental stage, the concept is proving interesting, and again, in commercial entertainment this could be another element in freeing up staff for other duties.
The creation of an AI character to interact with guests is best illustrated with the work from Animalive — a company that has worked on bringing virtual characters to life. Originally, the company used advanced MoCap to allow virtual actors to supply the movements and words for digital characters, such as seen with the ability to have animated characters act as mascots and guest greeters.
Now, working with specialists in the children's birthday party business such as Birthday University for FECs, the company has launched AnimalKidsParty — a live interactive animated show with smartphone augmented reality elements to allow the party guests to interact with the CGi characters. The future use of the latest AI technology will allow a raft of virtual characters to be recreated as interactive entertainers, deployed in businesses of all sizes.
AI maximizes activities
Away from the customer-facing space, the opportunity to offer an enhanced guest experience results in the maximum needs being achieved from the venue's services. The management team is able to use the collected data to maximize activities and not waste efforts. This is even more important with current staff shortages and the increased cost of living pressures on revenue.
The information collected from online reservations services shapes staffing and food preparation needs. The ability to know how many people are playing certain games and enjoying attractions helps shape buying habits, removing the inaccuracies of gut instincts when deciding which machines to replace and which to keep.
Smart data collection can also maximize the placement of hardware to best meet the flow of guests through a site. Meanwhile, the replacement of the cashbox for frictionless payment also allows the issues of theft and skimming to be minimized.
Food management benefits
Enhanced management skills, such as weighing food waste, allows for a better economy of scale in food preparation. Along with smart stock procedures linked to data. And the use of data collected from more focused guest surveys creates that all-so-important big data. This can be fed into the "smart actors" and then used to create modeling tools and operational analysis — all under the watchful eye of AI.
The needs of food preparation and serving to be maximized on site, with staffing restrictions impacting all businesses following the pandemic, and the recessional period, have never been greater. As with frictionless, the technology of autonomous serving devices known as hospitality robots has grown from these privations.
The profusion of new systems aimed for the hospitality entertainment landscape has grown from providers such as Keenon Robotics, Bowlmarc Robotics, Richtech Robotics and many others.
These robots are employed for information services, order delivery, table service and even facility cleaning. All achieved by autonomous platforms, combining the latest computer vision and AI management.
But these delivery robots can also be employed beyond food serving support. We are seeing autonomous devices delivering to guests sterilized bowling balls, bowling shoes, golfclubs and go-kart helmets — like concierge robots now seen in hotels.
Facility tracking
Meanwhile, we see the use of smart facility tracking addressing the bottlenecks in the staffing process and elevating them with smart serving solutions.
The future is also looking at the deployment of autonomous vehicles in guest transportation, the ultimate people movers, allowing big and small facilities to relocate groups of guests, maximizing capacity without tying up staff.
Regarding entertainment, new smart karting platforms employ autonomous safety and operational features that will take control of the vehicle. This ability of autonomous control is even being employed in gamification, as added to the karting experience.
Autonomous vehicles
The loading and unloading operation of the new e-kart vehicles is now achieved through an autonomous process, freeing staffing for more important duties.
Trackless, autonomous ride vehicles have become a valuable addition to the theme park attraction armory. Seen in the revolutionary attraction "Rise of the Resistance" at Walt Disney World, this technology allows big attractions to be scaled down for smaller venue installation.
Greater deployment of autonomous ride vehicles will be supported by the greater appearance of character robots supporting costume cast members. This is seen with the Spiderman Stuntronics robot employed by Disney at its Avengers Campus.
Autonomous animatronics, and increased guest immersion, are driving innovation in the entertainment scene. This mirrors much of what is being developed by CGi AI-based characters, and is not just for the bigger parks, but eventually, through cost-savings, also across the smaller entertainment venues.
And finally, we touch on the last current applications of big data within the entertainment venue experience. The use of the technology, not just in charting the guests' progress, is also driving the future experience — totally unique, always changing.
What has been described as "immersive dream box," these are the creations of computer-generated visual environments through projection and special screens which can place the guest within an all-encompassing immersive experience.
A mixture of MoCap and XR can create an enhanced guest experience environment. To date these have been employed in "artainment" installations such as Frameless and Lightroom, but this is a level of technology that will be used to create a new generation of social entertainment.
All are using big data to create an experience that is like no other, and ensuring that the future guest is drawn to visit and stay in the entertainment space of tomorrow.
(Editor's note: Extracts from this blog are from recent coverage in The Stinger Report, published by Spider Entertainment and its director, Kevin Williams, the leading interactive out-of-home entertainment news service covering the immersive frontier and beyond.)
About Kevin Williams
Along with advisory positions with other entrants into the market he is founder and publisher of the Stinger Report, “a-must-read” e-zine for those working or investing in the amusement, attractions and entertainment industry. He is a prolific writer and provides regular news columns for main trade publications. He also travels the globe as a keynote speaker, moderator and panelist at numerous industry conferences and events. Author of “The Out-of-Home Immersive Entertainment Frontier: Expanding Interactive Boundaries in Leisure Facilities,” the only book on this aspect of the market, with the second edition scheduled for a 2023 release.
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