The Last of Us Director Says That AI Will 'Revolutionize How Content Is Being Created' and Will 'Push the Boundaries of Storytelling in Games'
Neil Druckmann from Naughty Dog studio sees AI-based tools as an opportunity to revolutionize game development. Not only in terms of cost reduction but also as a way to improve dialogues and NPCs.
A recent interview with the head of Naughty Dog revealed information not just about the studio's new game. Neil Druckmann also talked about using artificial intelligence in game development, which he thinks has the potential to revolutionize the industry.
AI will enrich games and reduce production costs
The director of The Last of Us series believes that AI-based tools will allow for the development of richer dialogues and characters, but will also help deal with "technical obstacles" and "reduce production costs." The same applies to technology, thanks to which developers can perform many tasks remotely (even motion capture).
The developer points out that the use of these solutions requires discussion of "ethical issues." Nonetheless, Druckmann clearly sees potential in AI.
Moreover, AI is really going to revolutionize how content is being created, although it does bring up some ethical issues we need to address. With technologies like AI and the ability to do motion capture right from home, we're reducing both costs and technical hurdles, opening the door for us to take on more adventurous projects and push the boundaries of storytelling in games. This evolution is truly empowering creators to bring their visions to life without the traditional obstacles.
Not everyone shares Druckmann's enthusiasm. Some Internet users still remember the controversy surrounding the plot of The Last of Us: Part 2 and accusations of exploitation and crunch at Naughty Dog. This doesn't fill them with optimism regarding the dev's statement, and some players cynically comment that the director is trying to somehow join the widespread "restructuring" in the gaming industry (via X).
AI is conquering the market
However, it appears that criticism towards Druckmann, even if not entirely unfounded, may be unjustified. Analyst Daniel Ahmad points out that currently up to half of developers use AI to create games.
This primarily applies to data from Asia, especially China, and is currently mainly focused on pre-production and conceptual work. However, it's almost certain that sooner or later, game developers will start using such tools also at later stages of production.
It's worth remembering what many developers have repeated: currently developing games is a huge risk. Creating modern titles is significantly more expensive and time-consuming than it was just a decade ago. For this reason, crunches are becoming more and more common and intense.
One could cynically say that we also have the small differences between each new release of the series to thank for, which come out every year. In fact, some publishers seem to be moving away from this practice (or at least that's what these companies declare; via ComicBook.com).
Using AI in game development theoretically has the potential to save developers time and money, allowing them to focus on perfecting other aspects of the project. It's no wonder that an increasing number of publishers are investing in artificial intelligence. Even if the players themselves (and some devs) accept these reports without enthusiasm.
