🔗 Share this article The Divinity Developer Clarifies Its Application of AI Tools for New Divinity Game The studio behind hit titles like Baldur's Gate 3 and Divinity: Original Sin just unveiled its upcoming project, creating significant hype within the industry. However, subsequent statements from the studio's co-founder have added nuance to the conversation, addressing the developer's philosophy toward machine learning. AI as a Creative Assistant, Not a Substitute In a recent message, Swen Vincke explained that the team is employing generative AI for particular supporting purposes. These involve developing presentation materials, creating rough concept art, and creating placeholder dialogue. Notably, Vincke made clear that the end material in the game will be created solely by actual artists. "Larian is creating all the content manually," he said. Larian is continuously growing our roster of storytellers and are currently assembling writing teams. Since visual development is being particularly referenced — we currently have over twenty artistic staff and have job openings for additional creatives. Everything we do is supplementary and aimed at enabling creatives to spend additional energy on the creative process. Every machine learning application implemented properly is additive to a creative team process, not a replacement for their skill. Responding to Feedback and Defining the Path The news of employing this technology initially provoked backlash among portions of the player base. In reply, Vincke offered additional elaboration on public forums. "Our team utilizes AI tools to explore references, just like we use the internet and physical media," he wrote. "In the conceptual brainstorming phase we use it as a basic framework for layout which we then swap out with authentic artwork." He continued, "Larian brings on talent for their inherent skill, not for their ability to execute what a machine suggests." Three Pillars of Practical Application Vincke had in the past broken down the company's focused method to this technology, defining its use into primary pillars: Automation of Tedious Tasks: Areas like polishing mocap data, dialogue cleanup, and Larian-specific work like adapting animations for different models. Fast-Tracked Experimentation: Using technology to quickly build simple versions of scenarios to experiment with concepts prior to full implementation. Long-Term Aspirations: Investigating how machine learning could eventually create emergent reactivity, especially in managing player-driven narratives in a vast role-playing world. He clearly noted that core creative domains — such as visual art — are are absolutely not areas where the team is reducing human talent. In fact, Larian is expanding its staff in these precise roles. "Larian is neither releasing a game with machine-made assets, nor looking at cutting staff to swap them out with artificial intelligence," Vincke stated definitively.
The studio behind hit titles like Baldur's Gate 3 and Divinity: Original Sin just unveiled its upcoming project, creating significant hype within the industry. However, subsequent statements from the studio's co-founder have added nuance to the conversation, addressing the developer's philosophy toward machine learning. AI as a Creative Assistant, Not a Substitute In a recent message, Swen Vincke explained that the team is employing generative AI for particular supporting purposes. These involve developing presentation materials, creating rough concept art, and creating placeholder dialogue. Notably, Vincke made clear that the end material in the game will be created solely by actual artists. "Larian is creating all the content manually," he said. Larian is continuously growing our roster of storytellers and are currently assembling writing teams. Since visual development is being particularly referenced — we currently have over twenty artistic staff and have job openings for additional creatives. Everything we do is supplementary and aimed at enabling creatives to spend additional energy on the creative process. Every machine learning application implemented properly is additive to a creative team process, not a replacement for their skill. Responding to Feedback and Defining the Path The news of employing this technology initially provoked backlash among portions of the player base. In reply, Vincke offered additional elaboration on public forums. "Our team utilizes AI tools to explore references, just like we use the internet and physical media," he wrote. "In the conceptual brainstorming phase we use it as a basic framework for layout which we then swap out with authentic artwork." He continued, "Larian brings on talent for their inherent skill, not for their ability to execute what a machine suggests." Three Pillars of Practical Application Vincke had in the past broken down the company's focused method to this technology, defining its use into primary pillars: Automation of Tedious Tasks: Areas like polishing mocap data, dialogue cleanup, and Larian-specific work like adapting animations for different models. Fast-Tracked Experimentation: Using technology to quickly build simple versions of scenarios to experiment with concepts prior to full implementation. Long-Term Aspirations: Investigating how machine learning could eventually create emergent reactivity, especially in managing player-driven narratives in a vast role-playing world. He clearly noted that core creative domains — such as visual art — are are absolutely not areas where the team is reducing human talent. In fact, Larian is expanding its staff in these precise roles. "Larian is neither releasing a game with machine-made assets, nor looking at cutting staff to swap them out with artificial intelligence," Vincke stated definitively.