The Divinity Developer Explains Its Implementation of Generative AI for New Project

The studio behind popular titles like Baldur's Gate 3 and Divinity: Original Sin recently unveiled its next major project, generating significant excitement within the player base. However, recent remarks from the company's figurehead have introduced a new dimension to the discussion, touching on the team's stance toward machine learning.

Augmenting Workflows, Not Cutting Jobs

In a recent statement, Swen Vincke outlined that the company is employing generative AI for particular supporting tasks. These encompass developing pitch decks, producing early-stage artistic references, and writing placeholder copy.

Notably, Vincke made clear that the end assets in the game will be crafted exclusively by actual writers. "Larian is developing every line manually," he said.

Our studio is actively expanding our roster of storytellers and are actively putting together writing teams.

Since concept art is being explicitly mentioned — we presently have 23 visual developers and have job openings for further creatives.

All our efforts we do is incremental and designed to letting our team spend greater focus on the creative process.

Every ML tool implemented properly is additive to a creative team process, never a stand-in for their talent.

Responding to Feedback and Defining the Path

The admission of AI usage initially generated unease among a segment of the fanbase. In reaction, Vincke offered additional clarification on online platforms.

"At Larian, we employ machine learning to research ideas, in the same way we use Google and reference books," he stated. "In the initial ideation stages we use it as a basic framework for composition which we then substitute with hand-crafted illustrations."

He noted, "Our studio recruits talent for their unique talent, not for their capacity to follow what a AI generates."

Key Areas of AI Integration

Vincke had previously detailed the studio's practical method to this technology, categorizing its use into primary areas:

• Streamlining Repetitive Work: This includes motion capture cleaning, voice editing, and Larian-specific work like retargeting animations.
• Rapid Prototyping ('White Boxing'): Using systems to speedily create basic models of scenarios to experiment with concepts prior to expensive development.
• Long-Term Aspirations: Investigating how AI could in the future enhance emergent player agency, specifically in creating player-driven narratives in a vast role-playing world.

He specifically stated that core creative areas — like visual art — are are absolutely not fields where the company is reducing artistic input. In fact, Larian is actively hiring in these precise fields.

"Larian is not shipping a game with any AI components, nor planning on trimming down staff to substitute them with AI," Vincke stated definitively.