The Divinity Developer Clarifies Its Application of AI Tools for Upcoming Project

The developer behind acclaimed role-playing games like Baldur's Gate 3 and Divinity: Original Sin recently shown its next major project, generating significant hype within the gaming community. However, follow-up remarks from the studio's co-founder have brought a new dimension to the narrative, touching on the developer's approach toward machine learning.

A Tool for Ideation, Not Replacement

In a latest message, Larian's director detailed that the company is utilizing AI technology for certain preliminary tasks. These involve enhancing pitch decks, creating rough artistic references, and creating placeholder dialogue.

Notably, Vincke made clear that the shipping material in the game will be created solely by real writers. "Our team is writing every line manually," he affirmed.

Our studio is actively increasing our pool of writers and are currently assembling dedicated writer rooms.

Given that visual development is being specifically called out — we right now have over twenty visual developers and have roles to fill for more artists.

Everything we do is supplementary and designed to having people spend more time on the creative process.

Any machine learning application implemented properly is additive to a creative team workflow, not a replacement for their skill.

Responding to Feedback and Defining the Path

The news of employing this technology originally generated unease among a segment of the community. In reply, Vincke issued further elaboration on public forums.

"Our team utilizes AI tools to research ideas, similar to we use the internet and reference books," he stated. "In the very early ideation stages we use it as a simple sketch for layout which we then replace with authentic concept art."

He noted, "Our studio recruits artists for their inherent skill, not for their willingness to replicate what a machine suggests."

Three Pillars of Practical Application

Vincke had in the past broken down the team's targeted method to machine learning, defining its use into key areas:

• Automation of Tedious Tasks: This includes motion capture cleaning, dialogue cleanup, and pipeline-specific tasks like adjusting assets for various species.
• Rapid Prototyping ('White Boxing'): Using technology to rapidly prototype basic mock-ups of scenarios to test concepts before expensive development.
• Future Potential for Gameplay: Exploring how machine learning could one day facilitate emergent gameplay, especially in simulating player-driven narratives in a vast role-playing world.

He explicitly stated that core creative disciplines — including music composition — are are absolutely not fields where the studio is cutting artistic talent. Conversely, Larian is expanding its staff in these precise fields.

"We are not launching a game with AI-generated content, and we are certainly not considering trimming down teams to swap them out with artificial intelligence," Vincke summarized.