Developing games with AI has been a controversial topic because the system is based on what others have already created, and many therefore believe that it risks leading to more soulless products that do not advance the art form. This has led to prominent figures, developers, and even publishers being forced to weigh in on their views on the subject.
The latest in the line is Bethesda veteran Todd Howard, who in an interview with Eurogamer shares his thoughts on AI and how it is used in game development:
"I view it as a tool. Creative intention comes from human artists, number one. But, I think we look at it as a tool for, is there a way we can use it to help us go through some iterations that we do ourselves faster. Not in generating things, but we are always working on our toolset for how we build our worlds or check things."
However, he does not want to replace the people behind the screens. He points out that game production has been constantly evolving and says that no one wants to go back to the old ways, but he believes that people are still needed to create the magic we crave:
"I think if you go back 10 years ago, that version of Photoshop, you wouldn't want to go back to that version of Photoshop. That's our view on it. But we want to protect the artistry. The human intention of it is what makes our stuff special."
Several developers have recently said similar things. Today's AI is still in its infancy, and it's difficult to predict what developments will look like in five years, but most people seem to agree that art is best created by humans.