Larian Studios, the acclaimed developer behind Baldur’s Gate 3 and the Divinity: Original Sin series, recently ignited a firestorm of both anticipation and visceral reaction following the reveal of their next ambitious project, Divinity. However, the initial hype has been met with a wave of scrutiny following comments from Larian co-founder Swen Vincke regarding the studio’s integration of generative AI within their development pipeline.
In a conversation with Bloomberg, Vincke acknowledged that the studio employs generative AI for specific logistical and preparatory tasks—such as refining internal presentations, drafting concept art for ideation, and creating placeholder text. Despite this, he was firm in stating that the final assets in Divinity will be the product of human craftsmanship. “We’re writing everything ourselves,” Vincke clarified, seeking to draw a hard line between tool-assisted workflow and AI-generated output.
The admission, coupled with reports suggesting the studio was “pushing hard” on the technology, sparked immediate concern among a fanbase wary of AI’s impact on creative industries. Addressing the backlash, Larian provided a comprehensive statement to Polygon to contextualize their use of Machine Learning (ML):
We have been consistently expanding our teams of concept artists, writers, and narrative designers. We are currently establishing writers’ rooms, recording high-fidelity performances with actors, and bringing on more translators.
Regarding the focus on concept art—we currently employ 23 concept artists and are actively recruiting more. These professionals produce original work daily for both ideation and final production.
Our approach is incremental; the goal is to empower our staff to spend more time on actual creation. When used correctly, ML tools act as an additive to a professional’s workflow rather than a replacement for their expertise.
We are exploring the potential of ML as a creative toolset to streamline daily tasks, which ultimately allows us to build more complex games. We are not shipping a game featuring AI-generated components, nor are we downsizing our teams in favor of automation.
While we recognize this is a sensitive topic, our internal discussions focus entirely on how these tools can improve the working environment for our staff.
Vincke further defended the studio’s stance on X, using more candid language to dispel rumors of staff replacement. He compared AI tools to modern search engines or reference books, noting that they are used to “explore references” and create “rough outlines for composition” during early stages, which are later replaced by entirely original art.
This perspective mirrors an earlier interview with GameSpot, where Vincke detailed three primary pillars for AI usage at Larian. The first is the automation of tedious technical tasks, such as cleaning up motion capture data, voice editing, and animation “retargeting”—a process essential for ensuring interactions remain consistent across characters of varying sizes and species.
The second pillar involves “white boxing,” a prototyping phase that allows designers to iterate on level layouts and mechanics quickly before committing to full production. Vincke noted that machine learning significantly accelerates this stage, allowing for more experimentation in less time.
Finally, Vincke touched upon the potential for “reactive gameplay.” While Larian hasn’t fully realized this yet, the goal is to use technology to better manage the immense permutations of player choice, ensuring the world reacts dynamically to unforeseen actions in ways that currently require exhaustive manual labor.
Crucially, Vincke emphasized that Larian is doubling down on human talent for the most creative aspects of development—writing, visual arts, and music. Instead of cutting costs, the studio is using automation for “narrative validation.” This involves using tools to track thousands of branching choices to ensure continuity, a process that is more about quality assurance than creative substitution.
Whether these explanations will appease the critics remains to be seen. However, Larian’s message is clear: they view AI as a sophisticated tool to manage the overwhelming complexity of modern RPGs, while keeping the human imagination at the heart of the experience.
Source: Polygon
