Larian Studios Clarifies Its Use of Generative AI for New Divinity
The team behind hit titles like Baldur's Gate 3 and Divinity: Original Sin just shown its next major project, sparking a wave of anticipation within the player base. However, recent comments from the company's figurehead have brought clarity to the discussion, touching on the studio's approach toward AI tools.
AI as a Creative Assistant, Not a Substitute
In a latest statement, Swen Vincke outlined that the team is utilizing AI technology for certain preliminary purposes. These include fleshing out pitch decks, producing early-stage concept art, and creating draft text.
Importantly, Vincke emphasized that the final assets in the game will be authored entirely by actual artists. "We are creating everything manually," he said.
Larian is continuously expanding our pool of writers and are busily forming narrative groups.
As visual development is being specifically called out — we right now have twenty-three concept artists and have roles to fill for more talent.
Each initiative we do is incremental and focused on enabling creatives to spend greater focus on actual creation.
Any ML tool applied correctly is a boost to a artist's process, not a substitute for their craft.
Responding to Feedback and Defining the Path
The revelation of using AI at first provoked backlash among some the player base. In reaction, Vincke offered additional detail on social media.
"At Larian, we employ AI tools to research ideas, in the same way we use Google and art books," he wrote. "In the conceptual brainstorming phase we use it as a rough outline for structure which we then replace with authentic illustrations."
He added, "Our studio recruits artists for their inherent skill, not for their capacity to replicate what a algorithm proposes."
Key Areas of AI Integration
Vincke had in the past outlined the team's targeted strategy to machine learning, categorizing its use into primary functions:
- Streamlining Repetitive Work: Areas like polishing mocap data, audio processing, and Larian-specific work like adapting animations for different models.
- Rapid Prototyping ('White Boxing'): Using technology to quickly build simple mock-ups of gameplay ideas to validate concepts prior to complete production.
- Future Potential for Gameplay: Exploring how machine learning could in the future facilitate new forms of reactivity, particularly in creating dynamic reactions in a vast role-playing world.
He explicitly stated that core creative domains — including music composition — are are in no way fields where the studio is replacing human involvement. On the contrary, Larian is recruiting more in these very positions.
"We are neither releasing a game with AI-generated content, and we are certainly not considering trimming down teams to substitute them with AI," Vincke concluded.
