Take-Two’s CEO, Strauss Zelnick, has recently expressed a more optimistic perspective on generative AI, dubbing it the “future of technology” during an event held at The Paley Center for Media. Although the parent company of Rockstar Games (home to franchises like Red Dead and GTA) and 2K Games (known for Borderlands 4, Bioshock, and Mafia) has not loudly championed AI like some other major publishers, Zelnick’s stance appears to be shifting. He foresees that AI will not eliminate jobs but rather create them. (Thanks to Game Developer for the insight.) “It will not reduce employment, it will increase employment,” he explained. “Technology has always led to enhanced productivity, which subsequently boosts GDP, and in turn, increases employment. For context, in 1865, 65% of the United States workforce was in agriculture.”
Concerns from Industry Veterans
In contrast, a former artist from GTA 6 and Red Dead Redemption 2 criticized much of AI as “crap,” asserting that it cannot replace human workers, despite its utility for mundane tasks.
Another industry veteran, with decades of experience in CRPGs and the mastermind behind Fallout and Wasteland, shared his worries about AI-induced job losses. His concerns seem validated, especially given that Microsoft, his parent company, recently let go of 9,000 employees.
Glen Schofield, creator of Dead Space and ex-Call of Duty head, has remarked that AI is “the right investment,” minimizing concerns about theft, citing Picasso’s notion that “good artists always borrow, great artists steal.”
Contrasting Views on AI’s Impact
Zelnick’s perspective diverges from prevailing reports predicting that AI will lead to significant job losses with negligible GDP growth. Predictions from OpenAI’s Sam Altman add to these concerns, while InXile Entertainment’s Brian Fargo openly admitted his “fears about job loss” due to this emerging technology.
Zelnick further illustrated his point by highlighting that the U.S. agriculture sector produces vast amounts of food with only 2% of the workforce engaged in farming. “I challenge you to find someone who has recently complained about not being able to secure a job as a farmer,” he added. “And employment numbers are thriving.” He concluded, “AI is a tremendous advancement. It benefits every sector. Will it produce a genius? No. Will it create hits? No. It’s merely a collection of data driven by computers with a language model interfaced.”
Yet, several months ago, Zelnick proudly stated that the “creative genius is human” when discussing GTA 6. He has maintained that individuals should be compensated if their work is utilized by AI “after the fact.” Even now, he does not equate generative AI with human creativity: “A data set is inherently retrospective, while creativity looks ahead. To the extent that AI seems forward-looking, it functions merely as a predictive model.”
Inaccurate AI Predictions
In a notable mishap, Google’s flawed AI overview mistakenly suggested that GTA 6 would feature a twerk button, thanks to one dedicated individual who spent three months fabricating evidence to support the claim.