Larian Studios CEO explains generative AI use in development of Divinity

by

In a recent Bloomberg interview, the CEO of Larian Studios discussed the progress of their new game, Divinity, which they unveiled at the Game Awards. The team is experimenting with generative AI during development, but assures players the final game will be entirely created by humans. This comes after Larian publicly questioned Elon Musk’s plan to release an AI-built game in 2026. Larian isn’t against AI in general, but believes it should assist developers, not replace them, allowing them to achieve more.

Larian is using generative AI to support the development of Divinity, but it won’t be in the final product

Larian Studios, the developers of the hugely popular Baldur’s Gate 3, continues to operate as an independent studio. This is important because it means they aren’t pressured by larger companies to use AI tools like some other game developers. In a recent interview with Bloomberg’s Jason Schreier, CEO Swen Vinke explained that their goal is to shorten development timelines, aiming for a three to four-year cycle instead of the six years it previously took. While the team is experimenting with generative AI to brainstorm ideas, create initial concept art, and draft temporary text, Vinke confirmed that no AI-generated content will make it into the finished game.

Vincke explained to Schreier that all content is created by people, stating, “we’re writing everything ourselves.” He also mentioned that, so far, using generative AI hasn’t noticeably improved their efficiency. This is similar to what the former director of The Witcher 3 recently said – he’s using AI-generated voices temporarily in his new game, The Blood of Dawnwalker, before hiring actual voice actors. Some game developers view AI as a useful tool to help with specific tasks, like getting a sense of how dialogue should sound before working with performers.

Larian Studios has faced some internal debate about using AI, but according to their founder, Vincke, the team generally supports their current approach. The use of AI has become a hot topic in the gaming industry, prompting Steam to require developers to disclose if they’ve used it. While some, like the CEO of Epic Games, believe this disclosure isn’t necessary due to how common AI is now, Larian is considering what they need to share. Specifically, if they use AI tools during development but don’t include any AI-generated content in the final game, what level of disclosure is required?

Divinity is still quite a ways off from being released – likely several years, and possibly even longer if Larian Studios uses Early Access like they did with Baldur’s Gate 3. It’s fascinating to consider how the gaming industry might evolve between now and then. Will artificial intelligence become more widespread and generally accepted? And will there be any rules or guidelines surrounding its use? For now, we can only wait and see what happens.

Read More

2025-12-16 23:32