Megan Morgan Huinyo, formerly the development lead at Santa Monica Studio, believes artificial intelligence will be a permanent presence in games. She argues that resisting its adoption is like shooting yourself in the foot and urges the industry to guide AI’s progress instead of pushing it away.
According to Huinyo, AI should be treated as a tool rather than a replacement for people. She cites examples such as SpeedTree — used in 2002 to procedurally generate vegetation for The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion — and motion capture, which was once criticized but is now commonplace.
Huinyo sees history repeating itself: generative AI represents the next major leap, comparable to previous pivotal innovations in the field. Yet she cautions that it isn’t a “magic fix” for economic challenges. AI won’t automatically reduce the costs of producing AAA titles or stop studios from closing, because a project’s value ultimately comes from its gameplay and the soul of its story.
“A game can be visually stunning, with immersive music and superb graphics, but if it isn’t engaging and its narrative lacks humanity, players won’t fall in love with it.”
She also maintains that creativity and the emotional core of games remain firmly in human hands.
Source: iXBT.games