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Take-Two Interactive CEO Strauss Zelnick shared his thoughts on artificial intelligence in game development this week, saying AI currently has a limited role in creating games like Grand Theft Auto. Speaking at CNBC’s Technology Executive Council Summit, Zelnick was asked whether AI could speed up game production. While he said he’s not against the technology, he pointed out several reasons why AI can’t replace human developers.
One challenge is intellectual property rights. But Zelnick said the bigger issue is that AI relies on large amounts of past data, making it “backward looking” by nature.
“Let’s say there were no constraints [on AI]. Could we push a button tomorrow and create an equivalent to the ‘Grand Theft Auto’, and the marketing plan, and here it is?” Zelnick asked.
“The answer is no.”
He explained that even if the technology existed, the result wouldn’t be very good. “You end up with something pretty derivative,” he said. Zelnick, whose company also publishes Borderlands, NBA 2K, and BioShock, said AI works well for tasks that involve analyzing old data. Take-Two uses AI for some of these purposes. However, he believes AI falls short when creativity is needed.
“There is no creativity that can exist, by definition, in any AI model, because it is data driven,” Zelnick said.
The CEO emphasized that Take-Two focuses on building franchises that last, with Grand Theft Auto being the most prominent example. The series’ sixth game is expected to launch next year.
“The team’s creativity is extraordinary, and what [Take-Two subsidiary] Rockstar Games tries to do, and so far has done over and over again, is create something that approaches perfection,” he said.
