Zelnick says AI won't replace devs, it'll just make games better

Caught this from the latest Take-Two earnings call. Strauss Zelnick was pretty direct about AI, saying it's not going to replace anyone at the company. He pointed out they've got 13,000 people, most of them in creative roles, and the whole point is to use tech to boost what they can do, not cut them out.

He said the first pillar is creativity, and AI tools are there to enhance it. Not replace it. That's a relief to hear from the publisher of GTA 6, especially with all the industry layoffs lately. He also mentioned that AI won't really make game development cheaper, but it could meaningfully improve quality. I'm curious what that looks like in practice for a game like GTA 6, which is already pushing boundaries.

On the GTA 6 front, he reiterated the November 19 date is solid and preorders are 'unprecedented.' No surprise there, but it's nice to hear it's still on track. The extended look is coming August 27, so we'll get a better sense of what Rockstar's been cooking soon enough.

I'm just glad the top brass isn't talking about replacing writers or artists with AI. Rockstar's worlds are so detailed because of human touch, and it sounds like they get that.

Source: GameSpot · Curated content.

Thirteen thousand creatives seems like a lot of moving parts for AI to enhance. Could be wrong, but I worry these tools might smooth out the physics quirks I'm after. If NPC behavior gets too polished, will there still be room for ragdoll glitches and map holes to hunt? Bigger worlds might just mean more seams to clip through.

physics quirks

If the AI cleans up the suspension physics I'm gonna be MAD. Sketchy weight transfer and janky oversteer are where the skill is. More engine swaps and proper fitment in the mod shops though. I'm down for that.

NPC behavior gets too polished

Exactly my concern for the LSPD side. You need human devs dialing in pursuit AI and wanted-level escalation. AI can assist, but a machine won't understand felony stop procedure or proper loadout balance. Keep the creative control in-house.