While many companies try to publicly distance themselves from generative AI, it is now reported that most of them are actually using it during game development.
This is according to both a Google manager and journalist Jason Schreier. Here, Google's boss says that many of our “favorite games” were made using its AI services, with Schreier following up to say that “almost every major studio” is using gen AI in game development.
Gen AI may already be making its way into most mainstream games
These comments from the Google representative were made in an interview with mobilegamer.biz (as discovered by VGC). In response, it was speculated that this was only in reference to AI development tools such as machine learning techniques, but Schreier then followed up and said this also applies to gen AI materials.
“I think what players don't realize is that their favorite games right now were already built with AI,” said Google's global head of games, Jack Buser. “These games have shipped. We did a survey around Gamescom last summer with studios all over the world. About nine out of ten game developers told us, yes, we use it.”
Capcom is mentioned by name in the interview, where the studio is described as a “big user” of Google Cloud's AI tools. Capcom recently promised that no gen AI material would appear in its games, although it admitted that AI tools would be used during development.
The comments from Google don't mention gen AI explicitly, but if this is indeed what is being used in studios, it could be much harder to detect. In some cases, companies have come clean about the use of AI, such as Embark Studios admitting that AI voice lines would be used in Arc Raiders (based on voice lines provided by human actors), although it has since backtracked on this.
Then it was Larian who outlined how AI tools would be used in Divinity's development, much to the community's disappointment. Similarly, the backlash from fans was enough to make the studio back down and say it would no longer use AI tools to aid in the creation of concept art.
But if Google is to be believed here, there are many developers who choose not to flag how AI has been used to create games. If fans discover it in the final game, the backlash could prompt a response from the developers, as we saw when gen AI placeholders remained in Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, but there's no guarantee that shame will work if everyone does.
- Date founded
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June 11, 1983
- CEO
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Kenzo Tsujimoto
- Subsidiary
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Capcom Taiwan, Capcom USA, Capcom Vancouver, Capcom Division 1, Capcom Production Studio 4, Capcom Production Studio 1, Capcom Production Studio 2, Capcom Production Studio 3, Capcom Maintenance Service Co., Ltd.
- Head office
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Osaka, Osaka, Japan
- Known for
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Resident Evil, Ace Attorney, Devil May Cry, Street Fighter, Dead Rising
