Larian Studios Clarifies Its Implementation of AI Tools for Next Project
The developer behind acclaimed titles like Baldur's Gate 3 and Divinity: Original Sin has recently unveiled its upcoming project, sparking significant excitement within the gaming community. However, subsequent statements from the studio's co-founder have introduced nuance to the conversation, touching on the team's stance toward machine learning.
Augmenting Workflows, Not Cutting Jobs
In a latest clarification, Swen Vincke explained that the team is using AI technology for particular ancillary purposes. These encompass fleshing out presentation materials, producing rough artistic references, and creating placeholder text.
Crucially, Vincke emphasized that the shipping material in the game will be created entirely by human creatives. "We are writing everything ourselves," he stated.
Our studio is continuously growing our roster of writers and are actively assembling narrative groups.
Given that visual development is being particularly referenced — we presently have 23 visual developers and have job openings for further creatives.
Each initiative we do is incremental and designed to having people spend more time on the creative process.
Any ML tool implemented properly is a boost to a artist's process, not a replacement for their craft.
Tempering Reactions with Clear Intent
The revelation of using AI at first provoked backlash among portions of the fanbase. In reply, Vincke issued more detail on social media.
"At Larian, we employ AI tools to research ideas, in the same way we use the internet and physical media," he explained. "During the very early ideation stages we use it as a simple sketch for layout which we then swap out with hand-crafted artwork."
He noted, "Our studio recruits artists for their inherent skill, not for their willingness to execute what a machine suggests."
Focused Uses for Machine Learning
Vincke had earlier broken down the studio's focused method to AI and ML, categorizing its use into primary areas:
- Handling Monotonous Jobs: This includes motion capture cleaning, dialogue cleanup, and pipeline-specific tasks like retargeting animations.
- Accelerated Iteration: Using technology to rapidly prototype basic models of scenarios to validate concepts before full development.
- Long-Term Aspirations: Researching how machine learning could in the future enhance innovative gameplay, particularly in simulating player-driven narratives in a vast role-playing world.
He explicitly noted that core creative disciplines — such as writing — are not departments where the team is cutting human talent. In fact, Larian is expanding its staff in these precise roles.
"Our studio is not shipping a game with machine-made assets, nor planning on cutting teams to swap them out with AI," Vincke concluded.
