The Creators of Baldur's Gate 3 Explains Its Use of Generative AI for Next Divinity

The team behind hit role-playing games like Baldur's Gate 3 and Divinity: Original Sin just unveiled its new project, sparking significant anticipation within the gaming community. However, recent statements from the studio's co-founder have added clarity to the narrative, addressing the developer's approach toward generative artificial intelligence.

AI as a Creative Assistant, Not a Substitute

In a recent clarification, Larian's director outlined that the team is employing AI technology for certain supporting functions. These involve fleshing out PowerPoint slides, generating rough concept art, and drafting draft text.

Crucially, Vincke stressed that the end material in the game will be authored entirely by human artists. "We are writing everything ourselves," he said.

Our studio is constantly increasing our roster of concept artists and are currently assembling writing teams.

As this area is being specifically referenced — we presently have twenty-three concept artists and have roles to fill for more creatives.

All our efforts we do is incremental and focused on enabling creatives to spend greater focus on making content.

Any ML tool used well is supplementary to a artist's process, not a substitute for their talent.

Tempering Reactions with Clear Intent

The revelation of employing this technology at first generated backlash among some the player base. In response, Vincke offered more elaboration on online platforms.

"Our team utilizes machine learning to explore references, similar to we use Google and physical media," he wrote. "In the very early ideation stages we use it as a simple sketch for structure which we then swap out with original illustrations."

He continued, "We've hired creatives for their creative vision, not for their capacity to follow what a machine suggests."

Three Pillars of Practical Application

Vincke had previously outlined the company's focused approach to this technology, defining its use into primary pillars:

• Automation of Tedious Tasks: Areas like motion capture cleaning, voice editing, and Larian-specific work like adapting animations for different models.
• Accelerated Iteration: Using systems to rapidly prototype rough mock-ups of gameplay ideas to validate concepts prior to full development.
• Future Potential for Gameplay: Investigating how machine learning could in the future facilitate emergent gameplay, specifically in managing dynamic reactions in a vast role-playing world.

He specifically stated that key artistic disciplines — like writing — are not areas where the team is cutting artistic talent. On the contrary, Larian is actively hiring in these exact fields.

"Larian is neither shipping a game with machine-made assets, and we are certainly not looking at reducing creatives to replace them with AI," Vincke summarized.