AI tech: does this spell doom for the gaming industry?

Recent developments in AI technology have seen a surge of concern over its use, particularly for those in the gaming industry. Declan McCourt investigates. 

For many in the gaming world, the prospect of AI technology is an enticing one, bringing with it a whole host of exciting new opportunities from entirely AI generated quest lines and animations to bug-hunting and quality assurance.  

However, just as there are those who believe AI to be the way forward, there are many in the gaming industry that believe AI technology to be more of a detriment than a benefit, largely owing to ethical concerns surrounding the technology’s use.  

And so, the question becomes what exactly the impact of AI will be on the world of gaming, as well as whether or not it ultimately proves itself to be useful.  

One of the main concerns many in the industry have has to do with how AI could potentially be used to replace some of the workforce, and that the only reason games companies are pushing the technology so intensely is because they feel it provides a cheaper alternative to human labour.   

One such person is Luc Charruau, a concept and background artist for the independent gaming studio Katamori studios.  

Luc firmly believes that, as an artist, the work he does in the industry could be under threat, stating, “Like, we know that a lot of people use AI to program and use AI to make art faster. It also means that less people are needed to make a project. So, we’re seeing a lot of projects that are doing game industry labour with AI instead of hiring someone.” 

Generative AI programs, which are a subset of AI technology, have recently begun to see use as a method of generating art for a variety of projects, both in and out of the gaming industry. Luc’s primary concern is that these art generating AI programs, which only need written prompts to generate both images and video, will eventually replace human artists.

Image Credit: Declan McCourt

According to Luc: “They (artists) go from working their whole life to acquire the skills to work in this industry. And then the industry uses their work to train a machine and uses the machine to replace them.” 

Where the ethical issues arise is, as part of programming these generative AI, they require prior examples of art to generate new images. What this means is that, for many artists, their art is being taken and used –often without their permission- to ‘train’ these AI programs so that they can in turn can produce art. 

Outside of art production, AI can also be used for other aspects of game production. For example, it can also be used to generate NPC behaviours and quest lines. And, while there are those who have concerns about this use of the technology as well, there are some who believe it could be beneficial. 

Image Credit: Alamy

Peter George Bell, an expert in AI, the founder of Purpose Made, as well as an avid gamer, believes that AI could prove to be a benefit to the gaming industry, providing steps are taken to ensure that certain concerns are taken seriously.  

According to Peter, “When used responsibly, AI has the potential to make game development more efficient and games themselves more engaging. This is only going to be a good thing.”  

One of the main reasons behind the current push for AI, as well as one of the stated benefits, relates to how AI can be used to help lower the costs and increase the efficiency of game production. For example, by using AI to generate quest lines, NPC behaviour, or even to test for bugs and glitches, both money and time can be saved. In turn, these gains could be put back into production elsewhere. 

However, Peter considers this to be a balancing act, stating, “The biggest risks lie in over-reliance. If AI-generated content replaces human creativity rather than augmenting it, we could end up with soulless, procedurally generated games that lack the emotional depth that makes storytelling meaningful.” 

What this means is, while there is a lot of potential for AI technology within the gaming industry, much of which is beginning to see practical application, it’s becoming increasingly apparent that the many concerns about its use must be addressed first. The impact it could have on industry workers is considerable, as is the impact it could have on the games themselves.  

Image Credit: Alamy

Robert Jewitt, a Media and Cultural Studies lecturer at Sunderland, holds this view as well. According to Robert, “while I recognise the significant potential AI holds for enhancing production workflows—from generating concept art and providing coding assistance to QA testing and improving NPC behaviour—I remain deeply concerned about its encroachment on creative labour.” 

Moving forward, a common sentiment about the future of AI integration is that it must be done transparently, with companies clearly stating where AI has been used. What’s more care must be taken to ensure that the technology doesn’t displace human workers and instead must work towards the augmentation of human-produced work, rather than replacing it.