Could an AI bot do a better job as the CEO of a gaming company than a real human?

That headline isn’t an empty question: Chinese gaming company NetDragon decided to give it a try. Last August, NetDragon, which runs several MMOs including Eudemons And conquer online, appointed “Ms. Tang Yu” as the rotating CEO of subsidiary Fujian NetDragon Websoft in an effort to “advance the use of AI to transform business leadership and take operational efficiencies to new levels.”

Several industry websites have published post-hoc articles this week attempting to draw a line between the bot’s appointment and the company’s success as the company’s shares have risen in recent months. For example, The Hustle’s chart shows a positive percentage change in NetDragon’s stock value over the past few months compared to companies run by human CEOs (yes, I just typed those words) in Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index.

Of course, the charts also show that the stock market is volatile and the tech market – especially MMO game companies – isn’t necessarily tied to broad indexes, so we might have preferred a comparison with analog companies. It could also be read less as an AI achievement and more as an indictment of CEO worship and excessive pay (what are you paying them for again?). Also, stock value doesn’t always reflect the quality of the company and its products and the treatment of its employees, and of course, the mere announcement that you’re pulling such a stunt helps drive the investment in the tech sector that makes those bubbling trends happen in the first place.

Anyway, I’m sure we can all think of game companies that would be demonstrably better off with an AI – or a phone book or a ham sandwich – as a CEO.

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