The Divinity Developer Explains Its Use of AI Tools for Upcoming Divinity

The studio behind hit role-playing games like Baldur's Gate 3 and Divinity: Original Sin just teased its new project, creating immense hype within the player base. However, subsequent statements from the company's lead designer have added clarity to the discussion, focusing on the developer's approach toward machine learning.

Augmenting Workflows, Not Cutting Jobs

In a new clarification, Larian's director outlined that the company is utilizing AI technology for particular supporting purposes. These encompass developing presentation materials, creating early-stage concept art, and writing temporary text.

Notably, Vincke emphasized that the shipping material in the game will be created entirely by actual writers. "We are creating all the content manually," he affirmed.

Our studio is actively expanding our roster of writers and are actively putting together dedicated writer rooms.

As concept art is being particularly called out — we right now have over twenty visual developers and have job openings for additional artists.

Everything we do is supplementary and focused on having people spend greater focus on actual creation.

Every machine learning application applied correctly is a boost to a artist's process, not a substitute for their craft.

Tempering Reactions with Clear Intent

The admission of using AI originally sparked unease among some the fanbase. In reaction, Vincke provided further elaboration on online platforms.

"At Larian, we employ AI tools to research ideas, just like we use the internet and art books," he wrote. "During the conceptual planning process we use it as a simple sketch for layout which we then swap out with original concept art."

He continued, "Our studio recruits creatives for their creative vision, not for their capacity to follow what a machine suggests."

Focused Uses for Machine Learning

Vincke had earlier broken down the studio's practical strategy to this technology, defining its use into three main areas:

• Handling Monotonous Jobs: Areas like refining animations, audio processing, and pipeline-specific tasks like adapting animations for different models.
• Rapid Prototyping ('White Boxing'): Using tools to speedily create simple models of gameplay ideas to validate concepts before complete implementation.
• Future Potential for Gameplay: Researching how machine learning could in the future create emergent gameplay, especially in creating player-driven narratives in a detailed game universe.

He explicitly noted that core creative domains — like music composition — are not areas where the studio is replacing artistic input. On the contrary, Larian is actively hiring in these precise roles.

"Larian is not launching a game with machine-made assets, and we are certainly not looking at reducing staff to swap them out with AI," Vincke summarized.