PlayStation co-CEO Hermen Hulst has said artificial intelligence will never replace the “human touch” of video game development but still expects AI to feature prominently in the industry.
Hulst told the BBC he believes AI has the potential to “revolutionize” video game development but studios will have to strike the right balance between using it and creating games through the traditional route.
“I suspect there will be a dual demand in gaming: one for AI-driven innovative experiences and another for handcrafted, thoughtful content,” Hulst said. “Striking the right balance between leveraging AI and preserving the human touch will be crucial.”
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This comes as many fans and creators of video games are growing increasingly concerned with the use of AI-generated content, though executives at various publishers have shared different perspectives on it so far.
EA CEO Andrew Wilson has said AI is at “the very core” of its business, for example, while others, such as Nintendo president Shuntaro Furukawa, have expressed more caution. AI can be used “in creative ways,” he said in July, but its use “also raises issues with intellectual property rights.”
AI isn’t quite ready to replace human developers, however, as support studio Keywords Studios tried creating a video game solely using AI only to deem the technology was “unable to replace talent.” But one area it is impacting already is voice over, with a video game voice actor strike currently ongoing under The Screen Actors Guild — American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA).
Video Game Voice Actors’ Thoughts on AI
Myriad voice actors have commented on the threat of AI already, including Metal Gear Solid and Mass Effect actress Jennifer Hale. “The truth is, AI is just a tool like a hammer,” she said. “If I take my hammer, I could build you a house. I can also take that same hammer and I can smash your skin and destroy who you are.”
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt lead Doug Cockle similarly expressed caution and frustration at the growing presence of AI within the video game industry, calling it “inevitable” but “dangerous.”
Cissy Jones, a voice actor known for her roles in Disney’s Owl House, Destiny 2: The Witch Queen, Shin Megami Tensei 5, and more, has started a company called Morpheme.ai to let voice actors embrace AI and gain control of their own voices going forward.
Image Credit: EMMANUEL DUNAND/AFP via Getty Images
Ryan Dinsdale is an IGN freelance reporter. He’ll talk about The Witcher all day.