miHoYo releases AI companion on Steam, a Shanghai student pianist

miHoYo has released BSide: Olivia Lin on Steam in China, featuring Lin Li, an AI chatbot presented as a Shanghai student who “majors in piano and minors in psychology.” The Steam description adds that Lin Li “loves vinyl records, old movies, and rainy days.” Users can listen to her play piano, upload files for specific pieces, or write letters to “express your current emotions in words and exchange a story that belongs only to you.” This release follows miHoYo’s recent announcement that it will invest up to $14.6bn into AI for in-house tools, and that it will “prioritise AI as a central and primary means of problem-solving.” BSide: Olivia Lin is described by the studio as an experiment.

The developer is already applying AI across other projects: Petit Planet’s development uses AI-powered tools, including a Planet Life Guide chatbot NPC; Genesis is reportedly integrating AI to some degree; and the studio is reportedly hiring artists with generative AI experience for Honkai: Nexus Anima.

China, Shanghai

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