Whether welcomed or criticized, artificial intelligence has become an integral aspect of game development. While intended to assist in the creative process, its effectiveness remains a topic of debate among game studios. Strauss Zelnick, the CEO of Take-Two Interactive, expresses skepticism about AI’s capabilities. He suggests that even if AI were to autonomously generate entire games, the results would likely fall short of quality standards. In fact, he implies it wouldn’t even manage a solid marketing strategy for a title as significant as GTA 6.
“Let’s say there were no constraints [on AI],” Zelnick shared with CNBC. “Could we push a button tomorrow and create an equivalent to the ‘Grand Theft Auto’ marketing plan? The answer is no. A, you can’t do that yet, and B, I am of the view that you wouldn’t end up with anything very good. You end up with something pretty derivative.”
From Zelnick’s perspective, AI technology has inherent limitations since it primarily analyzes existing data and reconfigures it into novel forms. Therefore, his belief is that AI’s utility for a video game publisher is quite limited.
The Future of AI in Gaming
Zelnick has previously stated that generative AI represents “the future of technology” with the potential to “increase employment,” diverging from the more critical stance often taken by those in the gaming industry. He acknowledges that AI holds value predominantly in scenarios requiring retrospective data analysis, which applies to several fields. However, he points out that the work Take-Two undertakes—areas outside this scope—would likely be poorly executed by AI.
“Anything that involves backward-looking data compute, it’s really good for that and that applies to lots of things,” Zelnick explained. “What we do at Take-Two, anything that isn’t attached to that, it’s going to be really, really bad at.”
Moreover, he raises significant concerns regarding the copyright issues linked with generative AI, which often pulls from pre-existing content without considering copyright laws. Zelnick states, “We have to protect our intellectual property, but more than that, we have to be mindful of others. If you create intellectual property with AI, it’s not protectable.”
Despite stirring some debate with his earlier assertions about AI and employment, his insights reflect a more complex understanding of the technology compared to many other game executives. He warns that those who believe they can simply command AI, saying, “Create the next GTA 6,” are gravely mistaken and insists that developers deserve fair compensation if their original works are duplicated by AI.
Upcoming Innovations
In related news, the creator of PUBG is set to launch a roguelike survival game featuring machine learning-generated worlds on Steam early access next month—marking a significant step toward a more realistic Minecraft experience for gamers worldwide.