🔗 Share this article The Divinity Developer Details Its Use of AI Tools for Upcoming Divinity Game The studio behind acclaimed RPGs like Baldur's Gate 3 and Divinity: Original Sin just unveiled its upcoming project, creating a wave of anticipation within the gaming community. However, recent statements from the company's co-founder have brought a new dimension to the conversation, focusing on the studio's stance toward machine learning. Augmenting Workflows, Not Cutting Jobs In a recent clarification, Larian's director outlined that the team is employing generative AI for particular preliminary tasks. These include developing presentation materials, generating early-stage concept art, and writing draft copy. Crucially, Vincke made clear that the final material in the game will be crafted entirely by real artists. "Our team is writing everything manually," he said. Larian is continuously expanding our pool of writers and are actively forming narrative groups. As this area is being particularly referenced — we right now have over twenty visual developers and have roles to fill for more talent. Each initiative we do is supplementary and focused on enabling creatives to spend additional energy on making content. Every machine learning application applied correctly is supplementary to a creative team process, not a substitute for their skill. Tempering Reactions with Clear Intent The revelation of AI usage at first generated unease among some the fanbase. In response, Vincke offered more clarification on social media. "We use these tools to research ideas, in the same way we use search engines and reference books," he stated. "During the very early planning process we use it as a rough outline for composition which we then swap out with hand-crafted illustrations." He added, "Larian brings on creatives for their inherent skill, not for their capacity to replicate what a algorithm proposes." Three Pillars of Practical Application Vincke had earlier outlined the company's targeted approach to machine learning, categorizing its use into primary areas: Streamlining Repetitive Work: This encompasses refining animations, audio processing, and Larian-specific work like adapting animations for different models. Rapid Prototyping ('White Boxing'): Using tools to rapidly prototype basic versions of mechanics to experiment with concepts ahead of expensive development. Long-Term Aspirations: Investigating how machine learning could eventually facilitate new forms of gameplay, specifically in creating unforeseen permutations in a complex RPG. He specifically affirmed that central narrative domains — such as visual art — are are in no way departments where the team is replacing human talent. Conversely, Larian is expanding its staff in these exact positions. "Our studio is not launching a game with AI-generated content, and we are certainly not considering cutting staff to replace them with AI," Vincke stated definitively.
The studio behind acclaimed RPGs like Baldur's Gate 3 and Divinity: Original Sin just unveiled its upcoming project, creating a wave of anticipation within the gaming community. However, recent statements from the company's co-founder have brought a new dimension to the conversation, focusing on the studio's stance toward machine learning. Augmenting Workflows, Not Cutting Jobs In a recent clarification, Larian's director outlined that the team is employing generative AI for particular preliminary tasks. These include developing presentation materials, generating early-stage concept art, and writing draft copy. Crucially, Vincke made clear that the final material in the game will be crafted entirely by real artists. "Our team is writing everything manually," he said. Larian is continuously expanding our pool of writers and are actively forming narrative groups. As this area is being particularly referenced — we right now have over twenty visual developers and have roles to fill for more talent. Each initiative we do is supplementary and focused on enabling creatives to spend additional energy on making content. Every machine learning application applied correctly is supplementary to a creative team process, not a substitute for their skill. Tempering Reactions with Clear Intent The revelation of AI usage at first generated unease among some the fanbase. In response, Vincke offered more clarification on social media. "We use these tools to research ideas, in the same way we use search engines and reference books," he stated. "During the very early planning process we use it as a rough outline for composition which we then swap out with hand-crafted illustrations." He added, "Larian brings on creatives for their inherent skill, not for their capacity to replicate what a algorithm proposes." Three Pillars of Practical Application Vincke had earlier outlined the company's targeted approach to machine learning, categorizing its use into primary areas: Streamlining Repetitive Work: This encompasses refining animations, audio processing, and Larian-specific work like adapting animations for different models. Rapid Prototyping ('White Boxing'): Using tools to rapidly prototype basic versions of mechanics to experiment with concepts ahead of expensive development. Long-Term Aspirations: Investigating how machine learning could eventually facilitate new forms of gameplay, specifically in creating unforeseen permutations in a complex RPG. He specifically affirmed that central narrative domains — such as visual art — are are in no way departments where the team is replacing human talent. Conversely, Larian is expanding its staff in these exact positions. "Our studio is not launching a game with AI-generated content, and we are certainly not considering cutting staff to replace them with AI," Vincke stated definitively.