Devon Tolbert ’24 wanted to determine if AI could build a video game from scratch, and this fall he’ll have the opportunity to find the answer.
Devon Tolbert ’24 was on the train from Massachusetts to Pennsylvania, returning from the Northeast Decision Sciences Institute conference in April when he received the call: He’d won. The Cybersecurity Management major had earned the top prize in the Undergraduate Research Poster Competition. Tolbert spent the rest of his ride home calling his mom and texting family members, their cheers fueling his adrenaline. It turns out that was just the start of bigger things for him.
Tolbert had spent most of the Spring Semester going to class and serving his information technology administration internship. Each evening, he worked on his poster. He was diving into a theory about artificial intelligence’s ability to create video games, and with feedback from Tamara Schwartz, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Cybersecurity and Strategy, he would tweak and adjust the poster in the AI-powered design tool Canva.
“I always enjoyed cybersecurity but I wasn’t sure it was my passion,” Tolbert says. “I’ve always been someone who loved to play games, and that’s when I realized I might be able to take my passion and make something interesting out of it.”
While the logistics behind AI’s video game capabilities are complicated, Tolbert found he could indulge that passion. In Cambridge, Massachusetts, his poster was one of over 30 entries. He had to support his data and talk about it with others. He was stretched beyond his comfort zone at first but learned to put away the jargon and be more conversational.
After the conference, Tolbert thought he’d have to lay his project aside, unsure if he’d ever revisit it. That was until he spoke with Ry Fryar, Assistant Professor of Art, who encouraged him to apply for the 11-month Powder Mill Foundation Arts Fellowship, which he received and will start this fall at Marketview Arts in York.
During the fellowship, Tolbert will reside in a downtown apartment with access to studio space, parking, and a monthly stipend so he can focus on his project. His experiment includes creating a game called “Chronicles,” which will be his protype after performing literature research and identifying various AI tools.
He’ll create it alongside artists, designers, and engineers from York College and the community. In addition, Jessica Sponsler, Ph.D., a visiting Assistant Professor of Art History, will be integrating the game into her curriculum with students studying Medieval Fantasy elements, providing helpful feedback in building the world around the game.
“I’m really excited for the opportunities YCP has given me,” Tolbert says. “The whole experience has shown me how much more there is outside the classroom. I learned a lot about myself and how I can ground myself in the project and research ahead of me.”
