Low Interaction AI Driven Game Design

I was thinking about AI characters that are fairly autonomous in a NPC driven game world. Each player character (PC) could be given goals and/or missions to complete. The interaction of the PC would be driven by tasks, routine, and AI navigation. The idea is the ability to control a PC or PCs in a dynamic world by setting tasks, goals, routines, and even programming directly using script by the player. This would allow for the game to be controlled via the game interface, a phone, a website, etc. It would allow hands off RPG style game play with a strategy flavor.

One game that comes to mind is the strategy war simulation game Steve Acaster is developing. That is a turn based system, but a lot of commands could be submitted based upon reading stats of what is occurring in addition to using the 3D interface. I could see a system where the AI are more dynamic reacting to the game world and taking input to change behavior. I think some games have implemented some of this to defend ground gained in kingdom building games.