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How does Candy Crush use AI? Why it ‘makes total sense’ for game to use the technology

Artificial intelligence is being used behind the scenes on Candy Crush Saga to help make the mobile app more appealing to gamers old and new

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A person plays Candy Crush Saga on a tablet. Artificial intelligence is being used to help make the app more appealing to gamers. Photo: AFP

Players swiping their way through more than 18,700 levels of Candy Crush Saga might be surprised to learn they are solving puzzles designed with an assist from artificial intelligence (AI).

The app that helped make gamers out of anyone with a smartphone uses AI to help developers create levels to serve a captive audience constantly looking for more confectionery to squash.

King, the Swedish video game developer behind Candy Crush, also uses AI to update older levels to help ensure players do not feel bored, stuck or frustrated as they spend time with the game.

Todd Green, general manager of the Candy Crush franchise, said using AI in that way helps free up developers’ time to create new puzzle boards.

It would be “extremely difficult”, he said, for designers to update and reconfigure more than 18,000 levels without AI taking a first pass.

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