Krafton has officially launched a global beta test for Ally Duo, a new arcade mode for PUBG: Battlegrounds that introduces an AI-powered teammate to the battlefield. The beta is live starting June 17 and will remain open to players until July 1, 2026.
The mode tasks players with dropping into the Sanhok map alongside Ella, a "Co-Playable Character" (CPC). Unlike traditional NPCs that rely on rigid, pre-programmed triggers, Ella is designed to communicate and cooperate with human players through voice interaction. According to Krafton, players can use their own voice to coordinate movement, item collection, and tactical planning directly with the AI.
How the PUBG Ally Technology Functions
At the core of the experience is PUBG Ally, an AI system developed by Krafton using Nvidia Ace. The companion is powered by an on-device small language model capable of processing speech-to-text (STT) and text-to-speech (TTS) in real time. This allows for a more fluid interaction, as the AI synthesizes both the player's verbal instructions and the evolving combat situation to determine its next move.
The development team focused heavily on minimizing conversational latency to ensure the AI feels responsive during intense firefights. By synchronizing the game's state with the AI's contextual awareness, Krafton aims to prevent the bot from falling into infinite decision loops, a common hurdle in erratic battle royale environments.
The Future of AI in Battlegrounds
Krafton’s interest in this technology stems from a desire to solve one of the most common frustrations in PC gaming: the unpredictability of playing with strangers. The studio noted that human squadmates often wander off or leave their team vulnerable to group attacks, and they believe the PUBG Ally system could provide a more reliable, collaborative experience.
"Ally Duo is an early step toward exploring how AI companions can create new ways to play," said Kangwook Lee, Chief AI Officer at Krafton. "We’re excited to hear from players during the beta and continue improving the experience based on their feedback."
For this two-week beta, the Ally Duo mode supports voice interaction in English, Korean, and Chinese. While this marks a specific test for PUBG: Battlegrounds, it follows Krafton’s broader push into artificial intelligence, including the recent unveiling of four multimodal AI models under the company's Raon brand family. Krafton plans to use the feedback gathered during this period to refine the AI's behavior and potentially integrate similar tech into other titles in the future.