How Forza’s Drivatar Actually Works | AI and Games

Drivatar, the system that powers AI racers in the Forza franchise to drive just like you and your friends, is one of the longest-running applications of machine learning in the video games industry. But how does it actually work? We crack open the bonnet to find out what makes this engine tick and how it creates a social experience for Xbox players in both the Forza Motorsport and Forza Horizon titles. This episode is inspired by the following sources: - Microsoft Research’s pages on Drivatar (now dead) :// - Jeffrey Schlimmer’s 2015 talk at the conference: “Drivatar and Machine Learning Racing Skills in the Forza Series“ - The following interviews with creative director Dan Greenawalt: