AI Pilots could help solve Titanfall 2 matchmaking problem

I've recently started playing Titanfall 2 multiplayer again after not touching it for a long time, and honestly, I'm amazed by how good this game still feels. The movement, gunplay, Titans and overall gameplay are still incredible. However, there's one problem that makes it difficult to actually enjoy the multiplayer consistently: finding enough players.

This got me thinking about AI pilots

Titanfall 2 already has ai grunts and spectres, and the game is built around having ai units fighting alongside real players. Meanwhile, apex legends has shown that Respawn can create ai opponents capable of using vertical movement, flanking, throwing grenades and generally behaving much more like actual players. What if AI pilots could be used to fill empty slots in Titanfall 2 multiplayer?

They wouldn't have to replace real players. They could simply fill empty slots when there aren't enough players available, and be replaced by real players as they join.

For example, an Attrition match could still have 6 real players per team when enough people are online. But if matchmaking only finds 3 players per team, the remaining slots could be filled by AI pilots instead of leaving everyone waiting in an empty lobby. Different difficulty levels could also make this work for different players. Even relatively simple AI Pilots would probably be better than having no match at all, while higher difficulty could make them use wall-running, flanking, grenades and other Pilot mechanics more effectively.

It could help break the cycle of: Low player population -> long matchmaking times-> players leave->even fewer players.

I'd personally rather play a match with a mix of real players and AI pilots than sit in matchmaking waiting for enough people to join.

Titanfall 2 is still an incredible game. It would be great if there was a way for people to actually play its multiplayer without needing a large active player population at the exact same time.

Just a thought from someone who recently rediscovered the game and is having an absolute blast with it.