Online Event: Exploring the Promise, Pitfalls, and Provocations of AI in GUR

​Join us for an insightful session with Samantha Stahlke, researcher, game developer, and expert in HCI, as we dive into the rapidly evolving intersection of AI and Games User Research. From player simulation using machine learning to critical reflections on ethics and practical challenges, this talk will shed light on the growing role of generative and predictive tools—and what it means for the game development and research communities.

🧠 Topics We’ll Explore:

​Player Simulation

​How AI approaches including reinforcement learning, rule-based systems, and large language models are being explored for simulating players, predicting behaviors, and stress-testing game systems.

​AI in the GUR Process

​The potential role of different tools throughout the games user research process, including data processing, analysis, and reporting.

​Challenges and Limitations

​What these tools can and can’t do—yet. A candid discussion of technological, methodological, and creative roadblocks.

​What Could Go Wrong?

​The ethical gray zones of AI in GUR: data collection, misinformation, bias, and unintended consequences.

​Unsolved Problems

​Where AI still struggles—and why human insight remains at the heart of great games research.

📚 Selected Publications & Work:

​•PathOS Paper (CHI PLAY): Read on ACM | Download PDF •The Game Designer’s Playbook: Oxford University Press
•The Inhuman Element (ACM Interactions): Read Article