LAS VEGAS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan 8, 2025--
KRAFTON (CEO Changhan ‘CH’ Kim) set a new milestone for the global gaming industry with the introduction of ‘CPC’ (Co-Playable Character), an NPC (Non-Player Character) brought to life with generative AI, in collaboration with NVIDIA, at the world’s largest IT exhibition CES 2025.
This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250108628507/en/
On January 8, KRAFTON joined NVIDIA at the Fontainebleau Hotel in Las Vegas. KRAFTON showcased an innovative AI experience built with NVIDIA ACE technologies, presenting a bold vision for the future of gaming.
Kangwook Lee, Head of the Deep Learning Division at KRAFTON, demonstrated CPC, describing it as “a groundbreaking character concept enabled by an on-device SLM (Small Language Model) for gaming, built with NVIDIA ACE.” He explained that unlike traditional NPCs, a CPC is capable of dynamic interactions with players, including real-time conversations, strategic cooperation, and flexible responses tailored to in-game scenarios.
Lee highlighted KRAFTON’s commitment to expanding CPC technology across its gaming portfolio, including the PUBG IP Franchise and inZOI. He stated, “We will continue to innovate user experiences by integrating CPC into our games and aim to establish it as a benchmark for the gaming industry.” He added, “Our collaboration with NVIDIA is a testament to the transformative potential of AI in gaming, and we plan to work closely together to push the boundaries of what is possible.”
KRAFTON also presented video demonstrations of CPC technology in action within its games. In the case of PUBG IP Franchise, the video revealed ‘PUBG Ally,’ a CPC capable of engaging in casual conversations, adapting strategies, and refining gameplay to align with user dynamics.
For inZOI, the demonstration highlighted ‘Smart Zoi,’ a CPC with distinct personality traits and emotional depth, offering highly immersive simulation experiences through lifelike interactions with players.
During CES 2025, KRAFTON set up demos with NVIDIA where attendees could experience CPC-integrated gameplay and its innovation firsthand.
Kangwook Lee, Head of the Deep Learning Division at KRAFTON (Photo: KRAFTON)
Kangwook Lee, Head of the Deep Learning Division at KRAFTON (Photo: KRAFTON)
DENVER (AP) — A Frontier Airlines plane hit and killed a pedestrian on the runway of the Denver International Airport during takeoff, airport authorities said, sparking an engine fire and forcing passengers to evacuate.
The plane, on route from Denver to Los Angeles International Airport, “reported striking a pedestrian during takeoff at DEN at approximately 11:19 p.m. on Friday," the airport's official X account wrote.
A spokesperson for the airport said the pedestrian, who jumped a perimeter fence, has died. They said the unidentified person was hit two minutes after entering the airport. The person is not believed to be an airport employee.
“We're stopping on the runway,” the pilot tells the control tower according to the site ATC.com. “We just hit somebody. We have an engine fire.”
The pilot tells the air traffic controller they have “231 souls” on board and that an “individual was walking across the runway.”
The air traffic controller responds that they are “rolling the trucks now" before the pilot tells the tower they “have smoke in the aircraft. We are going to evacuate on the runway.”
Frontier Airlines said in a statement flight 4345 was the one involved in the collision and that “smoke was reported in the cabin and the pilots aborted takeoff.” It was not clear whether the smoke was linked to the crash with the pedestrian.
“The Airbus A321 was carrying 224 passengers and seven crew members,” the airline said. “We are investigating this incident and gathering more information in coordination with the airport and other safety authorities.”
Passengers were then evacuated via slides and the emergency crew bused them to the terminal. The airport spokesperson said 12 passengers suffered minor injuries and five were taken to local hospitals.
Denver Airport said the National Transportation Safety Board had been notified and that runway 17L, where the incident took place, will remain closed while an investigation is conducted. It is expected to open later today.
The pedestrian death came a day after a Delta Air Lines employee was killed while on the job at the Orlando International Airport. In a statement, the airline said the employee was killed Thursday night without providing details of the incident nor the name of the employee.
“We are focused on extending our full support to family and taking care of our Orlando team during this difficult time,” the airline said. "We are working with local authorities as a full investigation gets underway to determine what occurred.”
FILE - A Frontier Airlines jetliner taxis down a runway for take off from Denver International airport on Nov. 25, 2025, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski, File)
