(Image credit: Sense Games)
The concept of artificial intelligence has been a source of fascination since the dawn of science fiction, inspiring remarkable stories across books, movies, and of course, games. Today, AI has transitioned into a major business buzzword, frequently associated with AI generation—a suite of controversial technologies behind machine-generated content. This raises the question: how does a studio like Sense Games, on the brink of releasing an action RPG called AI Limit, approach AI in its current form?
Yang Bin, the producer of AI Limit, discussed this in an email interview with GamesRadar+. Bin noted, “Currently, most well-known AIs rely on large language models, which can mimic an average derived from vast datasets. Our belief is that in the near future, these tools won’t be able to create works surpassing the average quality of the data they’re trained on. Our ambition is to venture into more creative realms. Thus, it doesn’t yet offer fundamental benefits.”
Bin recognizes that these large language models have made substantial advancements in programming languages, potentially boosting programming efficiency significantly. However, just how effective AI is in generating code remains a question for professional programmers. The core idea of AI amplifying efficiency is central to its use in some AAA games today. For instance, EA utilized AI to develop numerous player faces for College Football 25, while Activision Blizzard reportedly applied AI in more contentious ways for Call of Duty. This leads into complex discussions about efficiency versus ethics.
In contrast, AI Limit explicitly “does not incorporate any AI-generated content,” as Bin stated. He explained, “When we began developing AI LIMIT, AI-generated content wasn’t as widespread as it is now. Few anticipated rapid advancements in large language models within a few years. We chose not to use AI-generated content because of ongoing copyright debates and because AI falls short in delivering truly original creative works.”
While AI enthusiasts remain optimistic about its potential to yield extraordinary creative content, it hasn’t yet achieved that goal. Irrespective of the ambitions of major publishers like Xbox to launch generative AI projects, many indie studios continue to focus on maintaining a human-centric touch in their games.
Microsoft clarified that the gaming AI demonstrated in Overwatch 2 will only be implemented if developers believe it maintains a sense of fairness. The industry remains divided, with weekly updates, insights from beloved communities, and more fueling the ongoing discussion.