NetEase Denies AI Department Shutdown Rumors, Schedules GDC Talks on Game Integration

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Far from abandoning the field, NetEase is scheduled to lead several discussions on AI’s practical uses at the upcoming Game Developers Conference. The GDC program features two distinct presentations by NetEase experts, including technical managers and AI designers.

The first session, “How AI Turned MMO Players into TikTok Creators,” explores using AI-driven video tools to repurpose gameplay and live-action footage into viral social media content by automating camera movements and avatar swapping.

The second presentation delves deeper into the industrial benefits of the technology. Titled “LifeAfter: AIGC Paradigm Change in Mobile Game Art Production,” it highlights how human-AI collaboration can optimize technical workflows. According to the session summary, NetEase will showcase case studies where AI-assisted toolchains resulted in efficiency gains of 50% and over $6 million in saved production costs.

NetEase’s enthusiastic embrace of AI stands in stark contrast to other major players in the industry. While NetEase focuses on “leveraging AI in art production,” many studios have explicitly distanced themselves from generative tools due to ethical concerns and potential fan backlash.

Even Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick, who speaks highly of AI’s potential, has reassured fans that generative AI has “zero part” in Rockstar Games’ upcoming Grand Theft Auto 6 development process.