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Evil Geniuses, a prominent name in the esports ecosystem, has recently unveiled its innovative Meesh AI chatbot in collaboration with Theta Labs.
As the champions of the 2023 Valorant Champions Tour (VCT), Evil Geniuses has introduced this text-based AI chatbot, developed by Theta Labs, which specializes in decentralized cloud solutions tailored for AI, media, and entertainment.
This unique chatbot is designed to embody the playful and mischievous persona of Meesh, providing fans with an engaging way to interact through various modes, including playful banter, trivia games, personalized exchanges, and much more.
“Evil Geniuses has long been at the forefront of AI innovation, starting in 2021 and 2022. Our use of data scientists to develop AI tools and advanced algorithms for talent scouting and strategy optimization earned us recognition, including a Sports Business Journal award in 2022,” stated Chris DeAppolonio, CEO of Evil Geniuses, in an interview with GamesBeat. “This year, we expanded our pioneering efforts with exciting developments, including the introduction of our first mascot.”
Referred to as a critter, Meesh is portrayed as a minion-like character.
“Every evil genius needs a minion,” DeAppolonio remarked. “After conducting extensive research with our fanbase, we collaborated with Theta to create Meesh, whose name reflects its mischievous nature.”
Meesh is fully integrated into the Evil Geniuses Discord server and the official website, enabling fans to pose questions about the organization at any hour. Utilizing Theta EdgeCloud, the AI can respond to queries involving match schedules, team standings, roster details, player statistics, and famous moments from the team’s history.
Moreover, fans can also access exclusive giveaways, participate in community events, and stay updated with the latest news about Evil Geniuses.
“Our team worked closely with Theta to ensure the AI chatbot genuinely represents the personality we envisioned for Meesh when we conceptualized our digital mascot last year,” said Kayci Evans, head of marketing and global partnerships at Evil Geniuses. “Thanks to Theta, Meesh’s personality is now fully expressed, and we’re thrilled with the outcome. Our fans can engage with Meesh to learn more about our legacy, upcoming events, or simply enjoy a casual chat.”
The partnership with Theta is just the initial step in a series of innovative collaborations aimed at enhancing fan engagement with Evil Geniuses.
DeAppolonio emphasized that Meesh serves as an additional channel for fans to interact with the brand. The character has its own backstory and personality, designed for meaningful engagement with the audience.
While Meesh cannot verbally communicate, it responds to typed questions and provides thoughtful text replies. The character’s animations help make it more relatable, and there are hidden elements in its responses for dedicated fans. Integration with the Discord community further enhances its interaction capabilities.
“Our goal is for Meesh to resonate with our fans, ensuring the character feels lively and distinctive,” DeAppolonio remarked. “Though fairly non-verbal, Meesh can emit sounds and communicate through text. When fans ask questions, Meesh is ready to engage through dialogue.”
The character’s design reflects the hobbies and interests that fans connect with. In a demonstration, Evans showcased the visually striking environment of Meesh’s lair, although initial responses from the AI were delayed. Meesh can answer inquiries such as upcoming game locations and share inside jokes known to loyal supporters.
Evans added, “We’ve ensured Meesh reflects our players’ profiles accurately, enabling it to share insights about the team’s activities outside competitive gaming. Fans can seek advice or delve into various game-related lore.”
To maintain a respectful environment, Evil Geniuses has implemented measures to prevent inappropriate content from being generated by Meesh. Given the propensity for users to explore boundaries, Theta’s past experience with similar systems in the NHL has been beneficial in this regard.
“Our oversight of Meesh’s interactions is an ongoing process,” DeAppolonio acknowledged.
“We’ve embedded fun surprises for fans, encouraging exploration while deepening their understanding of our brand’s personality,” Evans shared. “The most rewarding aspect has been pushing our partner, Theta, to embrace more creative approaches. They are an excellent collaborator in making this initiative truly distinct.”
This initiative unfolds amid a climate of mixed opinions regarding AI in the esports domain. While some view AI as a potential threat to job security, the organization perceives it as a tool to empower creative contributions.
“AI has enhanced our gameplay, improving our scouting and competitive strategies by providing insights based on data. This technology allows us to connect and engage with fans in novel ways that weren’t feasible before,” DeAppolonio explained.
Evil Geniuses operates as a global esports entity that blends gaming, sports, technology, and entertainment. Established in 1999, it is the oldest esports organization in North America, boasting over 180 championships.
Theta Labs provides decentralized cloud infrastructure for AI, media, and entertainment, supported by a network of 30,000 distributed edge nodes and a proprietary blockchain. The platform is backed by major entities such as Samsung, Sony, and Bertelsmann Digital Media Investments and ranks as one of the leading AI tokens on Binance.com as well as a top 10 DePIN blockchain by market capitalization on Coingecko.
Theta EdgeCloud stands as the first hybrid cloud-edge AI computing platform, providing over 80 PetaFLOPS of continuously available distributed GPU compute power.
Evans concluded that recent reductions in the costs associated with AI chatbots have enabled the organization to venture into this technology with lower cloud computing and storage expenses. As a pioneering force in AI, Evil Geniuses remains committed to harnessing technology for better business practices and engaging content creation, while fostering creativity for esports enthusiasts and contributors on their platforms.
Regarding the current state of the esports industry, DeAppolonio expressed optimism, stating, “I’m feeling reassured about the industry’s trajectory. Valorant viewership continues to rise. After winning the world championship in 2023, we’ve experienced a 250% year-over-year increase in merchandise sales, alongside a 40% rise in average video views.”
He added, “We are on an upward path, witnessing greater engagement and increased interactions with brands compared to past years. While we aren’t yet at pre-pandemic levels of esports interest, the industry’s decline seems to be reversing.”
Source
venturebeat.com