Jess Hyland, a video game artist, fears she might lose her job to technology. The gaming industry, which saw rapid growth during the pandemic, is now facing tough times. Big names in the industry are promoting generative AI as a solution, but not everyone is on board with this new tech.
Companies like Nvidia, Electronic Arts, and Ubisoft are investing heavily in AI, promising quicker development and enhanced creativity. However, the industry remains divided. While some see AI as a saviour, others worry about its long-term effects on jobs and creativity.
AI’s Promise in Gaming
Imagine waking up one day to find your job gone. That’s a real fear for video game artist Jess Hyland. The industry is shaky, and many workers worry about their future. During the pandemic, gaming boomed, and investments soared. But now, the reality feels different. Studios have closed, and jobs have been lost. Generative AI is seen by some as a potential saviour.
Big names like Nvidia, Electronic Arts, and Ubisoft are investing in AI. They claim it can save development time and enhance creativity. With gaming budgets rising, AI sounds like a perfect solution to meet audience expectations. However, not everyone is convinced. Some developers fear AI might do more harm than good.
Changing Jobs
Jess Hyland is part of the Independent Workers Union of Great Britain’s game workers branch. She believes the biggest concern is job change, not job loss. She mentions, ‘The stuff that AI generates, you become the person whose job is fixing it. It’s not why I got into making games.’ Rather than creating unique work, artists may end up correcting AI outputs.
Public AI image generators can produce impressive results from text prompts. But they struggle with rendering hands and chairs. Some worry about AI’s impact on creativity. Instead of being creative, workers might supplement AI’s efforts.
Copycat Concerns
Chris Knowles, a former senior developer at Jagex, is also concerned about AI. He questions if it’s worth hiring human artists to fix AI outputs when their creativity could be used to make new art. Smaller developers, like his indie studio Sidequest Ninja, are generally sceptical of AI.
A big issue is cloned games. Online stores are full of imitations of original titles. This is particularly problematic for mobile games. Studios exist solely to churn out clones. While AI can’t completely rip off a game, it can easily copy assets like artwork.
The fear is that AI will make it cheaper and quicker for clone studios to operate. Running a financially sustainable indie studio could become even harder. Chris also points out the massive electricity consumption of AI systems, making them environmentally concerning.
Copyright Issues
Generative AI faces copyright issues. These tools are trained on text and images scraped from the internet. Jess Hyland calls it ‘mass copyright infringement.’ Some studios are now exploring systems trained on internal data to avoid legal trouble.
There are ethical tools that work with authorised sources. However, fears persist that AI will mass-produce assets like artwork and 3D models. Workers might be expected to produce even more content, putting additional pressure on them.
Composer Borislav Slavov is positive about AI. He believes it can help composers explore new directions and push boundaries. Yet, he agrees that AI can’t replace the human soul in music. ‘It allows composers to focus more on the essence,’ he says.
Gamers’ Reactions
AI in gaming is also trying to win over gamers. New games like The Finals faced backlash for using synthesised voices. Developer Square Enix got criticised for limited AI-generated art in Foamstars.
Jess believes discussion about AI has made gamers reflect on what they love about games. Experiences crafted by humans hold a special place in their hearts. ‘I’m still putting something of myself into it,’ she says.
Indie developer Chris adds, ‘If you train a generative model on nothing but cave paintings, all it’ll ever give you will be cave paintings. It takes humans to get from there to the Sistine Chapel.’
Future Perspectives
Despite the concerns, AI is not all bad. Jess sees some benefits in using AI for repetitive admin tasks. This can free up time for workers to focus on more creative aspects of a project.
The AI industry is trying to reassure governments and regulators about its future use. The EU has passed new laws concerning AI, and the industry is working to win over gamers and developers alike.
The Human Touch
In the end, gaming is not just about profits. It’s an artistic medium bringing together diverse talents. There’s a growing recognition of the need for a human touch in creating meaningful and engaging experiences.
In conclusion, the advent of generative AI in the gaming industry presents a mixed bag. While there are undeniable benefits like saving time on repetitive tasks, enabling faster exploration of creative ideas, and potentially revolutionizing content production, there are also significant concerns. Developers like Jess Hyland and Chris Knowles highlight critical issues such as job displacement, loss of creativity, and ethical considerations.
Furthermore, the environmental impact and copyright issues cannot be ignored. The debate continues as the industry grapples with integrating AI while preserving the human touch. Ultimately, the balance between technological advancement and creative integrity will determine the future of AI in gaming.
As AI continues to evolve, its role in gaming will likely remain a hot topic. The industry’s path forward must be navigated carefully to maximise AI’s benefits while minimising its drawbacks.