Despite the recent AI-caused WAGA andSAG-AFTRA strikes,Amazon GamesCEO Christoph Hartmannaffirmed the need for AI use in video games during anIGN interview.
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Hartmann said that the game industry needs AI tospeed up the development workflow and cut out the dull parts of game development.
I don’t believe any technology can replace human creativity and the uniqueness
Despite Hartmann’s defense of creativity, he said that AI will particularly help localize games to different regions' languages.
However, AI is at the stage whereits inability to understand cultural nuancesmight cause difficulty in true localization or anything past translating a phrase verbatim; after all, if translation were this easy, Google Translate would’ve bankrupted many translation businesses years ago
When pressed about his excitement about AI usage during the ongoing SAG-AFTRA strike, theCEO said that video games “don’t really have acting” and that the majority of it is programming, which is “all about innovation.”
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Amazon is apparently investing heavily into this franchise.
The CEO’s sentiments aside, Amazon’s published and developed games have hadhundreds of actorsin them between voice acting andmotion capture.
What’s more worrying about Hartmann’s hypocritical outlook on what’s artistic or not isAmazon Games' currentprojects: thenext Tomb Raider and a Lord of the Rings MMO.
Information on both games is scarce, but we know thatTomb Raider’s progressis undeterred byshifting studio ownershipand thatLOTR’s MMOhasn’t started development.It’s unclear how much AI will be used in either game.
Hartmann’s leadership, coupled with a massive, unfeeling corporation like Amazon, might be dangerous to both industry practices and professionals.
Really, what could possibly go wrong when a CEO denies an entire art form within an industry?
AI Is A Blessing & A Curse For Game Dev
Hartmann’s enthusiasm is warranted, asAI can be used to creategenuinely impressive technological feats. In fact, one of the most anticipated games of the past decade,GTA VI,is reportedly riddled with AI.
The game’s NPCs will reportedly haveAI-generated responses to their environment, weather, and player actions.
AI will even help create more interiors within the map than ever possible before.An ex-Rockstar deveven said that thegame’s trailer might hint at AI-made animations.
As of now, neither Rockstar nor Take-Two has confirmed any AI rumors, despite the CEO’s clear enthusiasm about the subject.
Interestingly, responses toRockstar’sAI rumors were mostly positive. Players commended the improved textures, animations, NPC-AI, and more building interiors. However, theseimprovements mask a hidden consequence.
Whether it’s Amazon Games, Rockstar, or any other game company,AI is making the already cutthroat game devbusiness even worse.
The gaming industry has seenrecord redundanciesin recent years, withmany staff members beingcut to reduce costsand increase reliance on automation; people’s careers and livelihoods are apparently the cost of better graphics in this console generation.
It’s clear thatAI-assisted game developmentis here to stay, but the form it’ll take is uncertain.The industry’s future is up in the air and, as many things are these days, it’s up to the market and consumers to dictate it.
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