Witcher 4 Developers Believe AI Can Offer Significant Advantages
CD Projekt Red, known for its work on The Witcher and Cyberpunk, has shared its perspective on the role of AI in gaming. During a recent earnings call, Joint CEO Michał Nowakowski highlighted the “meaningful” and “real” advantages of integrating AI technology, particularly in enhancing productivity. He noted that while the company is already leveraging AI in various productivity areas, it won’t replace the creative input of human developers. “The benefits are real, they’re meaningful; but it’s not a situation–and I’m unaware of such a situation–where AI could ‘sit down and make games.’ That’s our take. It doesn’t mean it’s not gonna be useful, but it’s not gonna be making The Witcher 5, or 6, or anything like that,” Nowakowski stated.
He also addressed concerns regarding recent layoffs in the gaming industry, clarifying that these cuts are primarily due to project cancellations rather than AI advancements. “Some studios have been going through turmoil; there were some project closures and so on, which led to many redundancies in the gaming industry; we’ve all seen that–it’s been very dramatic in many cases. But, literally kill me here, but I don’t recall a single time when it would be attributable directly to AI. At least I don’t know about that,” he explained.
Looking ahead, Nowakowski expressed optimism that broader AI adoption won’t result in net job losses. “I don’t imagine that,” he said, echoing sentiments from others who believe that while certain jobs may be affected in the short term, overall employment could benefit in the long run. Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang recently pointed out that workers whose roles are primarily task-oriented might face the most risk. The conversation around AI remains contentious, especially as the definition of AI evolves. Developers have been utilizing various forms of AI in game development for decades, and the latest iteration, generative AI, is already integrated into tools like Unreal Engine and Photoshop. Recently, Larian’s CEO faced criticism for his comments on potential AI use, with plans to address further questions in January.
