[dugidugout]

> But I'm out of the loop: in order to maintain popularity, are computers banned?

Firsrly, yes, you will be banned for playing at an AI level consecutively on most platforms. Secondly, its not very relevant to the concept of gaming. Sure it can make it logistically hard to facilitate, but this has plagued gaming through cheats/hacks since antiquity, and AI can actually help here too. Its simply a cat and mouse game and gamers covet the competitive spirit too much to give in.

[the_af]

Thanks for the reply.

I know pre-AI cheats have ruined some online games, so I'm not sure it's an encouraging thought...

Are you saying AI can help detect AI cheats in games? In real time for some games? Maybe! That'd be useful.

[kzrdude]

Note that "AI" was not and has not been necessary for strong computer chess engines. Though clearly, they have contributed to peak strength and some NN methods are used by the most popular engine, stockfish.

[dugidugout]

> I know pre-AI cheats have ruined some online games, so I'm not sure it's an encouraging thought...

Will you be even more discouraged if I share that "table flipping" and "sleight of hand" have ruined many tabletop games? Are you pressed to find a competitive match in your game-of-choice currently? I can recommend online mahjong! Here is a game that emphasizes art in permutations just as chess does, but every act you make is an exercise in approximating probability so the deterministic wizards are less invasive! In any-case, I'm not so concerned for the well-being of competition.

> Are you saying AI can help detect AI cheats in games? In real time for some games? Maybe! That'd be useful.

I know a few years back valve was testing a NN backed anti-cheat watch system called VACnet, but I didn't follow whether it was useful. There is no reason to assume this won't be improved on!