Call me crazy, but I still think Oblivion has the most detailed AI of any open world game or sandbox game in 2024. Just the fact that Bethesda went to the laborious effort to give every single NPC in the game completely unique scripts and stats along with totally unique full day-and-night schedules as well as dynamic pathfinding is absolutely mind-boggling. The world building Oblivion has just through its absurdly detailed AI alone is absolutely astounding and really set a milestone for the open world genre that, to my knowledge, still hasn't been topped in 2024. Oblivion's AI makes Morrowind feel unplayable by comparison; Oblivion was definitely one of the definitive technological upgrades among video game sequels, along the likes of GTA IV. And the fact that Skyrim dumbed down the level of detail in its AI proves how truly cutting-edge Oblivion was in this regard.

I know it's been a popular commodity to ridicule the jankyness of Oblivion's radiant AI system for decades now, but make no mistake about it: Oblivion's radiant AI system really was nothing short of revolutionary for the game industry. As far as I'm concerned Oblivion deserved its status as 2006's GOTY just for its radiant AI alone. The advancements it brought to programming AI must not be overlooked.

Don't oversell! :-)
You may prefer Oblivion over Morrowind, that's fine, but why should a gsme without the Radiant AI "feel unplayable"? Because NPCs and quest allocation are somewhat less flexible?

I myself find the Oblivion quests (using on the Radiant AI) the best in all TES games, but for me Morrowind is still better than Oblivion, as a role-playing game.

No, it's because all of the early 3D open world games- GTA 3, Mafia, and, case in point, Morrowind- have crude AI. But what makes Morrowind's AI feel particularly bad even in comparison to those others is its stronger emphasis on combat and the fact that it's played from a first person perspective.

Morrowind's combat is so woefully primitive by 3D gaming standards that it's literally been a meme for years. Just look at this funny example somebody on Youtube made out of it:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bNXYrAkUntU

Being one of the earliest examples of a genre also makes the technology/engine one of the worst of its kind by default. I mean, there are some exceptions to this like Trespasser and Black and White, two early open world sandbox games that had state-of-the-art AI, but games like those are really the exception to the rule. Bethesda didn't really start experimenting with cutting-edge technology in their game engines until Oblivion. Morrowind just simply wasn't on that level of ambition in regards to its technology & game engine. Don't get me wrong, Morrowind is a terrific WRPG, but most of the developer's effort went into programming the elaborate crafting systems and RPG mechanics rather than things like AI, lighting, or physics like with Oblivion.

It's all personal opinion (and expectations). Thanks for explaining yours - I respect, but don't share it.

For me, Morrowind and Oblivion are role-playing games, not fighting games, not about adhering to mysterious "3D gaming standards" (I have no idea what they are and who defines them). This means I expect their AI to focus more on role-playing aspects than on anything else. In this respect I interpreted your first post as a comment on the Radiant AI used in Oblivion and replied accordingly.

Regarding AI, I don't know what AI is for you, and why you call Morrowind's crude and primitive. Fighting is a major part of all (at least most) role-playing games, and first-person perspective serves immersion (people who feel differently can switch to 3rd person perspective, too), another major factor for role-playing games. The whole world of a role-playing game (and everything that exists in it) is determined by certain parameters and visuals (which players may like or not). Which means, for example, that fights are typically not determined mainly by player interaction, but by parameters, possibly random elements, and possibly by player interaction, too, but not as the main major factor - other than in fighting games. If Morrowind and Oblivion don't meet your expectations in this respect, it's your problem, not the game's. And to compare them with games like GTA, Mafia, or Black & White is like comparing apples with pears.

Morrowind is by no means one of the earliest games of its genre, and to call its "technology / engine one of the worst of its kind" speaks of arrogance and ignorance. I wished all modern games would live up to the standard Morrowind (and even Oblivion) defined - as role-playing games (thanks for acknowledging that "the developer's effort went into programming the elaborate crafting systems and RPG mechanics" - why do you think this has nothing to do with AI, by the way?).
Do you know that the "engines" (Construction Sets, containing the AI, too) of Morrowind and Oblivion were added to the games, and are free to use for all customers? They contribute a lot to the success, longevity and replayability of the games. Which current games / RPGs are comparable with Morrowind and Oblivion in this respect?.

No offense intended - I just wanted to present a different opinion. If you can't accept Morrowind for what it is (and wants to be), well, you don't have to. But please don't blame the game.
I'd like to go more into details, but this post is long enough already.

Hmm