If you click on a link and make a purchase we may receive a small commission. Read our editorial policy.

AutoDesk acquires staff, technology from GRIP Entertainment

Middleware company expands AI capacity with new investment

Middleware giant Autodesk has acquired certain staff and technological assets from Montreal-based game AI specialist GRIP Entertainment.

No exact details of the deal were disclosed by either party, but a statement on Autodesk's blog indicates that the technological resources relate closely to AI behaviour trees and decision making.

"Behaviour trees offer programmers, designers and even producers a mechanism to communicate design concepts and debate implementation options, resulting in less rework and iteration," reads the statement. "Moreover the design itself is mirrored in the actual code implementation, limiting the AI programmer's need to interpret the design.

"GRIP's implementation of behaviour trees also provide a more extensible framework by allowing individual behaviours to be added to the overall control structure in such a way so they are isolated from other portions of the tree. This enables behaviours to be analysed and tweaked discretely."

The new technology will likely be incorporated into the company's existing AI solution, Kynapse, the post reads, before revealing that "GRIP Entertainment co-founders, Dr. Paul A. Kruszewski and Aaron Davey, along with all developers currently working on the GRIP technology will join Autodesk."