Larian Studios Details Its Use of AI Tools for New Project

The developer behind acclaimed RPGs like Baldur's Gate 3 and Divinity: Original Sin just shown its new project, sparking immense excitement within the player base. However, follow-up comments from the company's co-founder have introduced nuance to the narrative, touching on the developer's approach toward machine learning.

AI as a Creative Assistant, Not a Substitute

In a recent message, Swen Vincke detailed that the developer is utilizing generative AI for specific supporting tasks. These include enhancing presentation materials, creating initial artistic references, and drafting temporary copy.

Importantly, Vincke made clear that the end assets in the game will be created solely by human artists. "Larian is creating everything ourselves," he stated.

Larian is continuously growing our pool of concept artists and are currently forming narrative groups.

As this area is being particularly called out — we presently have over twenty artistic staff and have job openings for additional creatives.

All our efforts we do is incremental and designed to letting our team spend more time on actual creation.

Every machine learning application implemented properly is supplementary to a artist's workflow, not a substitute for their talent.

Responding to Feedback and Defining the Path

The revelation of using AI at first provoked concern among portions of the community. In reply, Vincke provided additional clarification on public forums.

"We use machine learning to explore references, similar to we use search engines and reference books," he stated. "During the initial brainstorming phase we use it as a simple sketch for composition which we then replace with original illustrations."

He added, "Our studio recruits creatives for their creative vision, not for their willingness to follow what a AI generates."

Key Areas of AI Integration

Vincke had previously detailed the team's targeted method to AI and ML, defining its use into three main pillars:

• Streamlining Repetitive Work: Areas like refining animations, dialogue cleanup, and pipeline-specific tasks like adapting animations for different models.
• Rapid Prototyping ('White Boxing'): Using technology to speedily create simple models of scenarios to validate concepts before full production.
• Experimental Frontiers: Exploring how AI could eventually facilitate new forms of reactivity, specifically in managing dynamic reactions in a complex RPG.

He specifically affirmed that key artistic areas — like music composition — are are absolutely not departments where the company is replacing creative input. On the contrary, Larian is recruiting more in these very positions.

"Larian is neither releasing a game with machine-made assets, nor looking at reducing creatives to swap them out with AI," Vincke concluded.