In recent years, the realm of AI-assisted storytelling (RP) has experienced a remarkable shift. What originated as fringe projects with primitive AI has blossomed into a vibrant ecosystem of applications, services, and communities. This overview examines the existing environment of AI RP, from widely-used tools to cutting-edge techniques.

The Growth of AI RP Platforms

Various platforms have come to prominence as favored focal points for AI-powered narrative creation and role-play. These allow users to experience both traditional RP and more risqué ERP (intimate character interactions) scenarios. Personas like Noromaid, or original creations like Midnight Miqu have become fan favorites.

Meanwhile, other services have become increasingly favored for hosting and exchanging "character cards" – pre-made AI personalities that users can engage. The Backyard AI community has been particularly active in creating and distributing these cards.

Breakthroughs in Language Models

The rapid evolution of advanced AI systems (LLMs) has been a primary catalyst of AI RP's growth. Models like LLaMA-3 and the legendary "OmniLingua" (a hypothetical future model) highlight the increasing capabilities of AI in generating logical and environmentally cognizant responses.

Model customization has become a crucial technique for adjusting these models to particular RP scenarios or character personalities. This process allows for more refined and reliable interactions.

The Push for Privacy and Control

As AI RP has gained mainstream appeal, so too has the call for privacy and individual oversight. This has led to the emergence of "private read more LLMs" and self-hosted AI options. Various "LLM hosting" services have been created to address this need.

Endeavors like Undi and implementations of Llama.cpp have made it feasible for users to run powerful language models on their personal devices. This "local LLM" approach attracts those concerned about data privacy or those who simply appreciate tinkering with AI systems.

Various tools have become widely adopted as user-friendly options for deploying local models, including advanced 70B parameter versions. These larger models, while processing-heavy, offer enhanced capabilities for intricate RP scenarios.

Breaking New Ground and Exploring New Frontiers

The AI RP community is celebrated for its creativity and eagerness to break new ground. Tools like Orthogonal Activation Steering allow for precise manipulation over AI outputs, potentially leading to more adaptable and unpredictable characters.

Some users seek out "unrestricted" or "augmented" models, aiming for maximum creative freedom. However, this sparks ongoing moral discussions within the community.

Focused platforms have emerged to cater to specific niches or provide alternative approaches to AI interaction, often with a focus on "privacy-first" policies. Companies like recursal.ai and featherless.ai are among those exploring innovative approaches in this space.

The Future of AI RP

As we envision the future, several patterns are emerging:

Increased focus on self-hosted and secure AI solutions
Creation of more sophisticated and streamlined models (e.g., anticipated Quants)
Exploration of novel techniques like "neversleep" for maintaining long-term context
Fusion of AI with other technologies (VR, voice synthesis) for more lifelike experiences
Characters like Poppy Porpoise hint at the potential for AI to generate entire fictional worlds and expansive narratives.

The AI RP space remains a nexus of invention, with communities like Chaotic Soliloquy redefining the possibilities of what's achievable. As GPU technology evolves and techniques like quantization boost capabilities, we can expect even more impressive AI RP experiences in the coming years.

Whether you're a casual role-player or a committed "neural engineer" working on the next breakthrough in AI, the realm of AI-powered RP offers infinite opportunities for creativity and discovery.