Daily Debate: Does the Idea of AI Tools in Video Game Development Concern You?
Posted on December 21 2023 by Rod Lloyd
Looking back at 2023, the big tech buzzword of the year was “AI,” or “artificial intelligence.” Thanks to several key developments in the AI space, as well as the wide release of new AI tools like ChatGPT, the applications, limitations, and ethical consequences of generative AI have dominated the conversation for most of the past year. Schools feared a rise in cheating, professionals got busted using ChatGPT at work, artists fought back against perceived art theft, and the use of AI became a negotiation point during the recent WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes.
2023 was truly the year of AI.
Like in the film industry, the prospect of generative AI tools has sparked debate in the video games industry. Some of the biggest game publishers have recognized the potential in AI tools to help streamline game development, from writing in-game dialogue, to asset creation, to aiding in quality assurance. Meanwhile, developers of all stripes — from writers, to artists, to QA testers, to performers — fear that the proliferation of AI tools during development will eliminate even more jobs (entry-level positions, most crucially) in an industry that regularly lays off its workforce to appease shareholders.
While I certainly see the potential AI tools hold for game development — smoother and less costly development periods presumably mean more games — I moreso recognize the risk of exploitation when those tools are put in the hands of executives at the top of the food chain. I personally advocate for the creation of more stable jobs and better working environments for the developers in our industry, so I can’t help but be skeptical in the face of tools that threaten such goals. I am likewise concerned that, given the murkiness of copyright protections and artistic ethics in the AI space right now, these tools will be used to re-appropriate the art of others without proper credit or compensation.
My concerns, for now, don’t extend to Nintendo and the development of its games. The Big N has largely stayed out of the AI conversation. But looking more broadly at video game development as a whole, I’m more alarmed than hopeful.
Where do you stand? Does the prospect of AI tools in game development concern you? Join the debate in the comments below.
Rod Lloyd is the Editor-In-Chief at Zelda Dungeon, overseeing the news and feature content for the site. Rod is considered the veteran of the writing team, having started writing for Zelda Informer in 2014 as a Junior Editor. After ZD and ZI officially merged in 2017, he stepped into the Managing Editor role and has helped steer the ship ever since. He stepped up to lead the writing team as Editor-In-Chief in 2023.
You can reach Rod at: rod.lloyd@zeldadungeon.net
