The Divinity Developer Clarifies Its Application of Generative AI for Next Divinity Game

The studio behind acclaimed role-playing games like Baldur's Gate 3 and Divinity: Original Sin just shown its upcoming project, generating significant excitement within the industry. However, recent statements from the company's co-founder have brought a new dimension to the conversation, addressing the developer's philosophy toward generative artificial intelligence.

A Tool for Ideation, Not Replacement

In a latest clarification, the studio's founder explained that the company is using AI technology for specific preliminary functions. These encompass enhancing pitch decks, producing initial concept art, and drafting draft copy.

Crucially, Vincke emphasized that the final content in the game will be authored entirely by actual writers. "Our team is creating everything manually," he stated.

Our studio is actively increasing our roster of storytellers and are busily forming narrative groups.

Given that this area is being particularly referenced — we right now have twenty-three visual developers and have roles to fill for additional creatives.

All our efforts we do is additive and aimed at having people spend greater focus on making content.

Any machine learning application applied correctly is additive to a artist's routine, not a replacement for their talent.

Addressing Concerns and Clarifying the Vision

The news of AI usage initially generated unease among a segment of the player base. In reply, Vincke issued further detail on social media.

"Our team utilizes AI tools to gather inspiration, similar to we use Google and art books," he stated. "During the conceptual brainstorming phase we use it as a basic framework for structure which we then substitute with hand-crafted concept art."

He added, "Our studio recruits artists for their unique talent, not for their ability to replicate what a machine suggests."

Focused Uses for Machine Learning

Vincke had earlier outlined the studio's targeted strategy to machine learning, defining its use into three main functions:

• Streamlining Repetitive Work: Areas like motion capture cleaning, voice editing, and Larian-specific work like retargeting animations.
• Fast-Tracked Experimentation: Using systems to quickly build simple models of scenarios to test concepts before full implementation.
• Long-Term Aspirations: Researching how machine learning could in the future create new forms of player agency, particularly in simulating unforeseen permutations in a detailed game universe.

He explicitly stated that central narrative areas — such as music composition — are are in no way fields where the team is cutting human involvement. In fact, Larian is actively hiring in these exact fields.

"Larian is not shipping a game with AI-generated content, nor considering cutting staff to replace them with artificial intelligence," Vincke stated definitively.