From the DBP Site:
artificial intelligence noun: the capability of a machine to
perform functions that are normally associated with human intelligence, such as reasoning and optimization through experience
[Abbreviation : AI]
Push the limits of Artificial Intelligence while building a game with XNA
Game Studio 2.0. Create a new and innovative use of Artificial
Intelligence in a game and you could win the opportunity to
interview for at an internship with Microsoft Research, Rare Ltd
or Lionhead Studios. Review the Official Rules for more details.
Just as a thought exercise, I went to the Wikipedia entry for Game AI. I made a (very) rough list of AI concepts in the order in which that wiki entry introduces them in.
- enemy movement based on stored patterns.
- enemy movement based on hash of human input for more randomization
- different personalities for enemies (chase, evade, random, cut off @ pass)
- Tunable AI for user controllable experience
- Pathfinding
- FSM for many actors
- Neural Network
- Evaluation of player action
- Environmental awareness (cover, getting dead mate's weapons)
- AI Team cooperation
- Information Suppression (no cheating)
It seems to me that either you're going to be "pushing the limits of AI", or you'll be "creating a new and innovating use of AI". Unfortunately, I know that I won't have time to participate in this contest. However, I urge all you would-be participants to look at the list above and ask yourself if you're going to try to come up with a new technique altogether, or simply a creative composition of the above to come up with something new and fresh.
Good Luck!