Jeff Kaplan: AI Lacks the ‘Human Spirit’ in Gaming

Jeff Kaplan, the former director of Overwatch, recently sat down for an extensive interview with Lex Fridman, where he delved into his career, his departure from Blizzard in 2021, and his upcoming project, The Legend of California, a western survival sim. The five-hour conversation is quite revealing, as Kaplan openly discusses the immense pressure he faced from Activision Blizzard executives while developing the hero shooter. Toward the end, Fridman inquires about Kaplan’s thoughts on the future of gaming, particularly regarding the role of AI.

Fridman presents some typical examples of how AI could be utilized in gaming, often reflecting the lofty claims made by AI companies about revolutionizing game development. He mentions the idea of NPCs with AI-generated dialogue that could evolve beyond static narratives. However, Kaplan counters this notion, expressing skepticism about the value of such advancements, noting that AI lacks the ability to create dialogue with genuine emotion. He describes the current integration of AI in game development as “mostly a hot mess.”

While Kaplan acknowledges that AI could assist with some of the more tedious logistical aspects of game development, he believes that the technology and its advocates are overly optimistic about its capabilities. He shares an anecdote about using ChatGPT to address a UI issue, only to receive an incorrect solution due to the bot’s misplaced confidence.

Kaplan also raises ethical concerns surrounding AI, particularly regarding models that draw from artists and voice actors without consent, which he deems “immoral.” He emphasizes his interest in how AI can alleviate mundane tasks rather than envisioning a future where game studios are entirely AI-driven for cost-cutting purposes. Importantly, he asserts that AI will never replace the unique creativity of human beings.

“What I don’t worry about is, no matter how good AI gets, [it’s] never gonna draw a picture like [Overwatch artist] Arnold Tsang, it’s never gonna tell a story like [Warcraft, Diablo, Starcraft writer] Christ Metzen. Human spirit is irreplaceable.”

Kaplan’s new studio, Kintsugiyama, is currently developing The Legend of California, which is described as a “multiplayer, action-survival RPG” set during the Gold Rush era.