What AI Can, Can’t, and Shouldn’t do for Games

John Romero asked an AI to design a new FPS. It failed, proving his point that groundbreaking games come from people, not algorithms.

#1about 2 minutes

Defining generative AI and its impact on technology

Generative AI is the most significant technological change since the internet, designed to create new content like text and images.

#2about 4 minutes

How game development studios are adopting generative AI

A GDC survey reveals that nearly half of game studios use generative AI, though many AAA studios prohibit it due to ethical concerns.

#3about 7 minutes

Exploring traditional AI techniques used in classic games

Games have long used custom-built AI like pathfinding, state machines, and behavior trees to create dynamic NPC and enemy behaviors.

#4about 6 minutes

Why AI struggles with true creative innovation

AI is inherently derivative and cannot replicate the unique combination of people, timing, and vision that leads to groundbreaking games like Doom.

#5about 2 minutes

Navigating the legal and ethical risks of AI

Using generative AI for creative work introduces significant copyright and intellectual property risks because AI-generated art is not human-authored.

#6about 1 minute

The future of AI as a powerful creative tool

AI will be an exceptional tool for processing data and augmenting work, but human creativity will remain essential for creating the next generation of hit games.