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Valve Code Hints at 'SteamGPT' Customer Support AI Chatbot

The next time you have a problem with a game install, it's possible a chatbot will help you solve it.

 & Jon Martindale Contributor

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Valve is looking to leverage the latest AI chatbot tools to develop a customer service assistant, TechPowerUp reports. Known as SteamGPT, the AI will help customers with support queries and account problems. That could translate into faster refunds, though performance issues and bugs will likely still require manual review.

X user GameFollower discovered a mention of SteamGPT in some recent Valve code. It suggests the AI could have access to account data and related controls, potentially allowing it to suss out whether someone is cheating and issue bans. It may also have access to information on whether an account has been linked to in-game behavior such as griefing or abuse, and whether it has been banned from any particular games.

This might specifically target Counter-Strike 2 and its anti-cheat system. The AI may be able to evaluate player behavior and use related data points to determine whether a gamer has access to certain servers or game modes.

It's not clear from the code if Valve actually plans to release it. The company is known for its flat, boss-less structure, so many projects often don't end up anywhere.

If Valve does implement this tool, though, it could be just the first of its AI efforts. The code suggests it can be used in a range of ways. Elsewhere, Valve is reportedly working on an AI-based Frame Estimator tool that could analyze a PC's hardware and potential performance to estimate how well it could play a game. For gamers unsure of what their system can do and want to play a certain game, that could be useful.

About Our Expert

Jon Martindale

Jon Martindale

Contributor

Jon Martindale is a tech journalist from the UK, with 20 years of experience covering all manner of PC components and associated gadgets. He's written for a range of publications, including ExtremeTech, Digital Trends, Forbes, U.S. News & World Report, and Lifewire, among others. When not writing, he's a big board gamer and reader, with a particular habit of speed-reading through long manga sagas. 

Jon covers the latest PC components, as well as how-to guides on everything from how to take a screenshot to how to set up your cryptocurrency wallet. He particularly enjoys the battles between the top tech giants in CPUs and GPUs, and tries his best not to take sides.

Jon's gaming PC is built around the iconic 7950X3D CPU, with a 7900XTX backing it up. That's all the power he needs to play lightweight indie and casual games, as well as more demanding sim titles like Kerbal Space Program. He uses a pair of Jabra Active 8 earbuds and a SteelSeries Arctis Pro wireless headset, and types all day on a Logitech G915 mechanical keyboard.

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