Dex Hunter-Torricke on AI, ethics, and the future of gaming
Artificial intelligence is rapidly transforming the gaming and iGaming landscape, which is unlocking new possibilities for personalisation, player engagement, and immersive design. Observers, however, say that alongside these opportunities come complex questions around ethics, transparency, and responsible play – challenges the industry must confront as technology becomes ever more deeply embedded in the player’s experience.
In this exclusive interview with SiGMA World at the 10th Digital Congress (DigiCon) 2025 in the Philippines, Dex Hunter-Torricke (picture above from DMAP), an emerging technology expert and former communications lead for Google, Facebook, and SpaceX, shares his insights on how gaming companies can navigate the societal and ethical dimensions of AI. He also discusses how the technology can be harnessed to foster inclusion, trust, and creativity, and how it is poised to redefine the very nature of play fundamentally.
Ethical responsibility in the age of AI
SiGMA World: How should gaming firms navigate the ethical and public perception challenges that come with deploying AI, particularly in areas such as player profiling, responsible gaming, and data transparency?
Dex Hunter-Torricke, emerging technology expert: Gaming is fast becoming the most powerful form of entertainment and cultural transmission in the world. And that means there’s a powerful responsibility if you’re building games. You need to think deeply about the societal ramifications of every single experience.
We now have tools that allow us to profile customers and shape engagement in new ways, but we also need to consider the unintended consequences. Many players are young and impressionable, so we must think about the impact on vulnerable groups, how we represent different cultures, and how these virtual worlds reflect real societies.
If you’re a gaming company today, you must be an expert not just on technology, but on societies. That’s how we build a responsible and sustainable future for gaming.
Players don’t want a lecture about the technology – they want to know how it improves their experience.
– Dex Hunter-Torricke, emerging technology expert
AI as a force for responsible play
SiGMA World: How do you see AI being used as a tool to promote responsible gaming?
Hunter-Torricke: AI allows companies to rapidly draw on data from multiple sources and optimise player experiences in real time. It gives you a more powerful means to promote ethical play – but only if it’s integrated thoughtfully.
For example, many gaming companies are working to represent underrepresented communities better and reflect culture respectfully. AI can make that process faster and more informed. There’s really no excuse anymore for overlooking the consequences of your content when the technology gives you the ability to access and synthesise that knowledge instantly.
Building trust through storytelling
SiGMA World: You’ve spoken often about the importance of storytelling and shaping public trust in technology. How can gaming and iGaming operators communicate their use of AI in ways that build confidence among players, regulators, and the public?
Hunter-Torricke: In many ways, it won’t be about the AI at all, because AI is becoming so cross-cutting and infused into everything. Simply saying something is “AI-generated” can actually backfire; people may perceive it as lazy or inauthentic.
Instead, focus on outcomes. Players don’t want a lecture about the technology – they want to know how it improves their experience. For games, that means: is it fun? Does it make the experience richer or more meaningful?
The need for global collaboration
SiGMA World: What role should global standards or policy frameworks play in guiding how AI is used in gaming and iGaming, especially when innovation often moves faster than regulation?
Hunter-Torricke: That’s one of the biggest challenges – managing content and cultural experiences in a global environment. I don’t think we’ll see massive new institutions emerge to handle it all, but we will need more collaboration between national regulators and the global industry.
These are cross-border issues by nature, so the goal should be to bring more people to the table, from policymakers to developers to player communities. We’re still in the early stages of figuring this out, but the next generation of AI will make it even more urgent to establish shared frameworks and trust.
The next frontier of play
SiGMA World: Finally, how do you see AI transforming the nature of play itself?
Hunter-Torricke: We’re about to see extraordinary new ways to engage with games. Worlds that already feel immersive will become even more lifelike and interactive. AI will enable a huge proliferation of experiences and connections between players.
Everything we’ve seen from gaming so far is just the beginning. The next wave will redefine what games can be – and it’s the most exciting time ever for the industry.
As AI continues to reshape the boundaries of gaming and iGaming, Hunter-Torricke’s message at DigiCon 2025 is clear: innovation must go hand in hand with responsibility. For an industry defined by creativity and connection, he said that the future of play will depend not just on technological progress, but on how thoughtfully it reflects the societies that shape it.
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