The Divinity Developer Explains Its Use of AI Tools for New Divinity
The developer behind hit titles like Baldur's Gate 3 and Divinity: Original Sin just unveiled its upcoming project, sparking significant excitement within the industry. However, follow-up remarks from the company's figurehead have added clarity to the conversation, addressing the studio's stance toward machine learning.
Augmenting Workflows, Not Cutting Jobs
In a latest clarification, Swen Vincke explained that the company is using machine learning for particular ancillary tasks. These involve fleshing out pitch decks, producing initial visual ideas, and writing temporary copy.
Crucially, Vincke made clear that the shipping content in the game will be authored solely by human creatives. "We are creating everything ourselves," he affirmed.
Larian is actively expanding our pool of concept artists and are actively putting together narrative groups.
Since visual development is being specifically referenced — we currently have 23 concept artists and have job openings for additional talent.
Everything we do is supplementary and aimed at enabling creatives to spend more time on actual creation.
Every AI system implemented properly is a boost to a developer's workflow, not a substitute for their craft.
Tempering Reactions with Clear Intent
The admission of using AI at first sparked concern among a segment of the community. In response, Vincke provided further elaboration on social media.
"At Larian, we employ these tools to research ideas, similar to we use search engines and art books," he explained. "During the conceptual brainstorming phase we use it as a rough outline for layout which we then replace with hand-crafted artwork."
He continued, "We've hired artists for their creative vision, not for their willingness to execute what a algorithm proposes."
Focused Uses for Machine Learning
Vincke had in the past outlined the team's targeted method to this technology, defining its use into primary functions:
- Handling Monotonous Jobs: This encompasses refining animations, dialogue cleanup, and technical processes like retargeting animations.
- Rapid Prototyping ('White Boxing'): Using systems to speedily create basic models of scenarios to experiment with concepts ahead of expensive production.
- Long-Term Aspirations: Researching how machine learning could one day enhance emergent gameplay, particularly in creating unforeseen permutations in a detailed game universe.
He explicitly stated that key artistic areas — like music composition — are not fields where the studio is replacing creative input. On the contrary, Larian is recruiting more in these very roles.
"Larian is neither shipping a game with machine-made assets, nor considering trimming down creatives to substitute them with artificial intelligence," Vincke summarized.