John Carmack Defends Microsoft’s AI-Generated Quake II Level

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Following Microsoft’s unveiling of how their AI Copilot could aid gamers in conquering games, the tech company showcased a completely AI-generated Quake II level as a demonstration. The reactions from fans have spanned from contempt to fury, yet this display had a notable advocate: John Carmack, one of the original Quake’s programmers and co-creators, who defended it.

Geoff Keighley from The Game Awards unveiled a demo on platform X, which was met with largely negative feedback. Following this, John Carmack stepped in to defend the demo. He explained that AI tools would empower talented creators to reach even greater heights, while giving smaller teams and new demographics of creators the ability to achieve more. However, he emphasized that we will still see outstanding examples of interactive games, novels, or movies created by dedicated teams of passionate developers. In essence, he suggested that AI tools would expand the content available at a reasonable cost, without replacing the exceptional work done by these dedicated teams.

Microsoft developed a version of Quake II that’s powered by an artificial intelligence model, allowing you to play it directly from your web browser. This unique rendition generates each frame dynamically using an AI-driven world model.

Here’s the link for you to explore and play: [Microsoft’s AI-generated Quake II]()

— Geoff Keighley (@geoffkeighley) April 5, 2025

It seems like there might be a misconception about this tech demo you’re referring to. Let me address what I believe could be your main concern – the notion that AI tools are diminishing the expertise of programmers, artists, and designers. My early gaming experiences were all about manually coding machines and designing on graph paper…

— John Carmack (@ID_AA_Carmack) April 7, 2025

Carmack pointed out that AI could potentially reduce the number of jobs in game development, drawing an analogy with farming where labor-saving technology has allowed a small fraction of workers to meet demand. He further argued against the sentiment opposing AI by saying, “arguing against using advanced technologies because they might take people’s jobs isn’t effective.

Microsoft has made available online the Quake II AI demo, which can be played without charge. While the demo is more restrictive than later installments in the series, it does not closely resemble a level designed by human developers. However, some gamers and developers express concern about the potential for AI to create something so sophisticated that it becomes indistinguishable from a game developed by a team of professionals. At present, AI technology hasn’t achieved this level, and it remains uncertain if it ever will.

Doug Bowser, President of Nintendo of America, has spoken about the future role of AI in game development. He mentioned that internal discussions regarding this topic have taken place. However, he emphasized that Nintendo maintains its conviction that what sets their games apart is the talent of their developers – their artistic skills, intuition for player behavior. As such, a personal touch and human interaction will always be essential when it comes to creating and constructing Nintendo games.

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2025-04-08 16:09