, May 11 -- Candy Crush Saga players navigating the game's more than 18,700 levels may not realize that artificial intelligence is quietly helping shape their puzzle-solving experience.

The wildly popular mobile game, developed by Swedish studio King, uses AI tools to assist in designing and tweaking levels to keep players engaged - whether they're first-timers or seasoned veterans looking for fresh challenges. Developers also rely on AI to revise older levels, helping to prevent users from getting stuck or losing interest.

According to Todd Green, general manager of the Candy Crush franchise, AI helps relieve some of the burden on developers. "It would be extremely difficult," he said, to update and manage so many levels manually. With...