By Isaac Davidson
Although it may be surprising to some, online poker is highly intertwined with artificial intelligence (AI). For starters, researchers have long used online poker games as a means of testing how capable of independent processing AI programs are.
Recently, the scientists at Google DeepMind even used online poker games to assess their AI, called Student of Games. Since poker is considered an imperfect-knowledge game, given that players don’t know the state of their opponents, it’s a great way to see how effective an AI model is at picking up probabilities and tweaking strategies to suit.
Similarly, poker insiders have been some of the most avid adopters of AI innovations. In a recent survey of Gen-Z and millennial players, up to 40% said that AI had helped improve their performance. For instance, one of the most popular ways that AI has emerged in the online poker space is via the use of ChatGPT. Through the chatbot, players can harness its ability to sieve through mountains of poker-related data in order to ascertain the best probable outcomes of their hand. Of course, even online poker providers are getting in on the AI wave, with many taking this innovation and using it to target specific industry pain points.
Below, we’ve listed three of the most notable ways that poker platforms are utilizing AI to enhance the online poker landscape as we know it:
As mentioned earlier, AI bots have often been used to play online poker games against human players. At one point, the AI called Pluribus was even capable of playing against and besting up to six elite opponents in a game of Texas Hold ’em. Recently, though, AI bots are now being used to play as avatars for human players who want to experience engaging gameplay without the tedious aspects of poker.
On the US’ leading online poker site, Americas Cardroom, this use of AI is observed in their new Poker Races promotion. Designed to be a fun way for recreational players to get back into the game, it allows players to choose an AI racer who will face other racers in the early stages of the tournament. After only about two minutes, AI racers can reach the money before turning over the reins to their human counterparts. This effectively removes the more “time-consuming” parts of the game while also helping bridge the skills gap that may be holding back returning human players. Overall, this use of AI can help further broaden the pool of online poker players, as it provides more opportunities for interested parties of all skill levels.
While easily accessible AI tools like ChatGPT can offer more generalized playing advice, poker stakeholders have taken this a step further by specifically creating AI-powered coaching tools. Since these are created with a specific focus on poker, it ensures that students are given more nuanced guidance that aligns with their particular playing styles. This can prove more effective, as lessons learned from tailored coaching are easier to understand and sustain even when players are gaming solo.
One example of this type of AI poker coach is the PokerSnowie training tool. The tool can provide timely feedback, recommend alternative movements, and simulate poker game scenarios as part of a player’s training. Players can even go head-to-head against the AI itself for real-time advice and then post-game analysis. Through these learnings, players are better equipped to learn from their mistakes, recognize subtle opportunities, and understand how to optimize their hands in different scenarios. According to Forbes, the existence of these types of tools from poker parties has helped democratize higher-level poker coaching. Consequently, it has helped improve the general skill level of global poker players, thereby also enhancing the odds of more players making it big and winning sizable earnings.
Finally, AI has become a valuable ally in the realm of responsible gambling. Like we previously mentioned in our article called How Artificial Intelligence is Shaping the Future of Online Casinos, online casinos in places like the UK have leveraged AI to monitor gaming patterns. Through this, the algorithm is able to spot problematic player behavior and provide the necessary gaming limitations to curb these.
This mindful use of AI also extends to the online poker sector. For example, the online gaming operator VBET uses AI along with data-driven solutions to encourage responsible gambling. This includes setting game and deposit limits, self-exclusion, and a partnership with the developer Mindway AI. Through the said collaboration, the operator can leverage Mindway’s AI solution, “GameScanner,” which detects potentially at-risk players, including those in their online poker rooms. Following this, providers can reach out as needed, essentially providing support and nipping any budding issues early.
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