Abstract
I spent the last two years as an architect of the next mobile gaming platform at meta, with the ambition that anyone can create, share, and play AI-generated mobile games. What I learned is that the hard part is no longer the generation — it's everything that happens after.
Runtime LLMs power NPCs that never say the same thing twice. That's magical for players and a nightmare for QA. AI generates millions assets a day but most of them are rejected for production readiness. Model updates break half of the game already built. One engineer's AI coding experiments cost us tens of thousands of dollars a month.
This session walks through the full architecture and open challenges of building an AI driven platform. I'll show live demos, share design insights, learnings from being on the frontlines, and be honest about the problems we haven't solved yet that need you.
Interview:
What is your session about, and why is it important for senior software developers?
This sessions goes through how AI breakthroughs have changed game development and what areas of opportunities exist for mobile developers.
Why is it critical for software leaders to focus on this topic right now, as we head into 2026?
As in the industry shifts rapidly, it's important for us to know what areas are changing, and what opportunities they bring.
What are the common challenges developers and architects face in this area?
Gaming platforms require full stack systems as well as specialized skillsets to build. Balancing performance, cross-platform deployment with increasing shorter production timelines remains a challenge.
What's one thing you hope attendees will implement immediately after your talk?
Their own game with AI.
What makes QCon stand out as a conference for senior software professionals?
The caliber of speakers and the conference itself, plus the people it brings together from all over the world.
Speaker
Danielle An
Principal Engineer / GenAI Architect @Meta, Ph.D. with 15 years of professional experience in film, MR and gaming
Danielle is a Principal Engineer at Meta Horizon, where she spearheads Generative AI initiatives designed to redefine immersive world-building. A veteran of the film industry with a pedigree including Pixar and DreamWorks, Danielle has spent her career at the high-stakes intersection of artistry and technical innovation. From architecting the Instagram AR platform to scaling Meta Avatars, she has a proven track record of shipping products that resonate with billions of users globally.
Date
Wednesday Mar 18 / 02:45PM GMT ( 50 minutes )
Location
Windsor (5th Fl.)
