Take-Two Interactive CEO Strauss Zelnick has confirmed, in a new interview with GamesIndustry.biz, that generative AI had ‘zero part’ in the development of GTA 6.
That said, Zelnick also confirmed Take-Two Interactive and its subsidiaries – including Rockstar Games – ‘always has’ made extensive use of AI, and generative AI tools have recently contributed to ‘driving costs and time efficiencies’ across the business.
Take-Two CEO on GenAI use in GTA 6 – quick links
How Take-Two and its companies are using GenAI
Speaking to GamesIndustry.biz, Zelnick confirmed that while GTA 6 is GenAI free – likely a result of the game being in development for so long, prior to the relative refinement and ‘mainstreaming’ of the technology – he remains enthusiastic about its use.
‘On the topic of AI, I’ve been enthusiastic since the very beginning,’ he reportedly said. ‘This company’s products have always been built with machine learning and artificial intelligence … And we’re already seeing instances where generative AI tools are driving costs and time efficiencies.’
There was a caveat with this enthusiasm, however, as Zelnick confirmed a belief that human creativity will never actually be replaced, and GenAI can’t create a ‘great’ experience on its own.
‘Do I think tools by themselves create great entertainment properties? No, there’s no evidence that that’s the case and it won’t be the case in the future,’ Zelnick said.
‘Specifically with regards to GTA 6, generative AI has zero part in what Rockstar Games is building. Their worlds are handcrafted. That’s what differentiates them. They’re built from the ground up, building by building, street by street, neighbourhood by neighbourhood. They’re not procedurally generated, they shouldn’t be. That’s what makes great entertainment.’
Why GenAI is such a concern for gamers
Since GenAI became more available, thanks to investments in the technology and the release of free-to-access public tools, there has been a growing concern amongst gaming fans. While proponents of the technology evangelise about cost- and time-saving benefits, game players appear to overwhelming dislike use of the technology, for an array of reasons.
The loudest voices are those that protest the environmental toll of GenAI and its egregious use of power in a time of climate crisis. But that’s not the only big issue, as many are also concerned about the nature and copyright of the training data used.
Beyond this, there are questions about the nature of copyright and GenAI – that any creation not made by human hands can’t be copyrighted and is therefore in the public domain.
It’s also worth noting that for years, game developers have been dogged by claims of ‘laziness’ from those who misunderstand the development process, and developers using (and in some cases, forced to use) GenAI are subject to the same criticism and ridicule.
There has been a concerted push in online circles to disavow or otherwise boycott games using GenAI, with recent titles like The Alters, Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 and ARC Raiders facing loud pushback and public criticism for their use of the technology.
In outlining GTA 6‘s lack of GenAI use, there is likely a consideration to avoid angering critics of the technology (although even those loud voices would likely have been drowned out around launch, considering how mythic and mystical the GTA franchise has become over the last decade).
In any case, it’s good news for those concerned about the upcoming game, although future Take-Two releases will likely face a similar scrutiny in the near future.
