PUBG Battlegrounds Boss Taeseok Jang has made his stance on AI clear, saying that he doesn't mind the use of AI in game development, as long as it doesn't come at the expense of good games. AI has been a hot topic for a while now, as game developers steadily adopt the technology, so it makes sense that PUBG Battlegrounds the developer is commenting on it now.
Last, Crimson Desert developer Pearl Abyss has made headlines for its use of AI, which the developer said was not intended to make it into the final project. Although it has begun the process of removing AI-generated assets from the game, it is only one of many studios that have been found to be using AI in the development process. While AI has largely been met with hostility by gamers, adoption seems unlikely to change in the near future as publishers move to cut costs in a tumultuous economy.
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How PUBG Studios views AI
In an interview with IGN, Jang gave his opinion on the matter, saying that he is currently “monitoring the situation. Additionally, he said, “As a fan, it doesn't matter to me. Because if they make good games, it doesn't matter to me if they use AI for artwork.” He went on to state that his opinion may differ from a developer's or a publisher's perspective, and that he did not have an “exact opinion” yet as he was still “learning and studying the case.” As far as using AI in PUBG Battlegrounds Jang says the studio's goal is to “bring new and fun gaming experiences” to players by using AI. The studio thinks of AI like any other productivity tool, using it to automate repetitive tasks rather than game development — at least for now.
The situation is different at PUBG: Battlegrounds publisher Krafton, as pointed out by interviewer Simon Cardy. Krafton has positioned itself as an “AI-first” company, going so far as to buy out employment contracts to reduce its overall workforce. The publisher, which has seen a host of legal problems due to a dispute with Subnautica 2 leadership, faces an uphill battle as it grapples with the fallout from said legal dispute and opposition from anti-AI players.
AI is a player's trust issue, and it makes sense that some players would be so worried about its use – few players would care to play something that no one cared to do. After all, AI is far from perfect, with many AI assets boasting bizarre inconsistencies, like broken fingers on hands and skewed perspectives on buildings. For those who focus on the details, AI-generated art can diminish the experience. In something of a rebuke of the trend, studios like Warframe developer Digital Extremes has taken an anti-AI stance.
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But AI isn't likely to go anywhere anytime soon. The technology has become ingrained in countless industries, the gaming industry being just one of them. And while one could blame “corporate suits” for rapid AI adoption in game studios, there is a percentage of developers who are in favor of using AI to develop games, which Kingdom Come Deliverance 2 Director Daniel Vávra. Increasingly, it seems that dividing lines are forming around AI's use as a whole.
As player and publisher expectations around the scope of video games continue to grow, so will AI. For what it's worth, Jang's stance—using AI for productivity tasks rather than game development—feels especially measured given the current state. However, players will have to wait and see which way the wind blows for AI's use in PUBG Studios in the long term.
- Released
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March 23, 2017
- ESRB
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T for Teen: Blood, Violence
