The Evolution of AI-Powered Interactive Storytelling: From Ancient Myths to Local 70B Models

In recent years, the world of AI-powered role-playing (RP) has experienced a remarkable shift. What originated as fringe projects 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 focal points for AI-powered narrative creation and role-play. These allow users to experience both classic role-playing and more adult-oriented ERP (erotic role-play) scenarios. Personas like Stheno, or custom personalities like Poppy Porpoise have become fan favorites.

Meanwhile, other services have gained traction for distributing and sharing "character cards" – customizable AI entities that users can engage. The Backyard AI community has been especially active in crafting and distributing these cards.

Breakthroughs in Language Models

The rapid progression of large language models (LLMs) has been a crucial factor of AI RP's growth. Models like Llama.cpp and the fabled "OmniLingua" (a hypothetical future model) showcase the growing potential of AI in generating consistent and environmentally cognizant responses.

Fine-tuning has become a essential technique for adjusting these models to specific RP scenarios or character personalities. This method allows for more refined and consistent interactions.

The Push for Privacy and Control

As AI RP has become more widespread, so too has the need for privacy and personal autonomy. This has led to the development of "private LLMs" and self-hosted AI options. Various "Model Deployment" services have been created to meet this need.

Projects like Undi and implementations of NeuralCore.cpp have made it achievable for users to utilize powerful language models on their own hardware. This "on-device AI" approach appeals to those worried about data privacy or those who simply enjoy customizing AI systems.

Various tools have become widely adopted as user-friendly options for deploying local models, including impressive 70B parameter versions. These more sophisticated models, while GPU-demanding, offer superior results for intricate RP scenarios.

Pushing Boundaries and Investigating New Frontiers

The AI RP community is known for its innovation and determination to challenge limits. Tools like Cognitive Vector Control allow for precise manipulation over AI outputs, potentially leading to more adaptable and unpredictable characters.

Some users pursue "abiliterated" or "enhanced" models, targeting maximum creative freedom. However, this raises ongoing moral discussions within the community.

Focused platforms have appeared to address 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 anticipate the future, several patterns are emerging:

Growing focus on on-device and confidential AI solutions
Advancement of more powerful and optimized models (e.g., speculated Quants)
Research of novel techniques like "perpetual context" for preserving long-term context
Fusion of AI with other technologies (VR, voice synthesis) for more lifelike experiences
Entities like Poppy Porpoise hint at the potential for AI to generate entire imaginary realms and elaborate narratives.

The AI RP field remains a crucible of advancement, with collectives like Backyard AI redefining the possibilities of what's possible. As GPU technology evolves and techniques like quantization improve efficiency, we can expect even more impressive AI RP experiences in the near future.

Whether you're a casual role-player or a dedicated "quant" working on the llama.cpp next discovery in AI, the domain of AI-powered RP offers infinite opportunities for innovation and discovery.