The Creators of Baldur's Gate 3 Details Its Implementation of Generative AI for Upcoming Divinity Game
The developer behind popular RPGs like Baldur's Gate 3 and Divinity: Original Sin has recently teased its upcoming project, sparking significant excitement within the player base. However, recent comments from the company's lead designer have brought a new dimension to the conversation, touching on the team's philosophy toward machine learning.
A Tool for Ideation, Not Replacement
In a new statement, Swen Vincke detailed that the team is employing generative AI for specific preliminary tasks. These include fleshing out presentation materials, generating initial artistic references, and writing temporary dialogue.
Importantly, Vincke stressed that the final content in the game will be created solely by actual creatives. "Our team is developing every line manually," he affirmed.
We are continuously expanding our roster of writers and are busily putting together narrative groups.
As this area is being explicitly referenced — we presently have over twenty artistic staff and have job openings for further artists.
Each initiative we do is supplementary and aimed at having people spend additional energy on making content.
Every AI system implemented properly is additive to a artist's routine, not a replacement for their skill.
Responding to Feedback and Defining the Path
The news of employing this technology originally sparked unease among a segment of the community. In response, Vincke issued more elaboration on social media.
"Our team utilizes AI tools to explore references, in the same way we use search engines and physical media," he stated. "In the initial ideation stages we use it as a basic framework for structure which we then substitute with original artwork."
He added, "Our studio recruits artists for their inherent skill, not for their willingness to follow what a machine suggests."
Focused Uses for Machine Learning
Vincke had earlier broken down the team's targeted method to AI and ML, grouping its use into three main areas:
- Handling Monotonous Jobs: Areas like motion capture cleaning, dialogue cleanup, and Larian-specific work like adjusting assets for various species.
- Fast-Tracked Experimentation: Using systems to quickly build basic models of scenarios to test concepts prior to complete implementation.
- Long-Term Aspirations: Researching how machine learning could one day facilitate innovative gameplay, particularly in creating player-driven narratives in a complex RPG.
He clearly affirmed that key artistic disciplines — including writing — are are in no way departments where the team is cutting human input. On the contrary, Larian is actively hiring in these exact positions.
"Larian is not launching a game with AI-generated content, and we are certainly not looking at reducing creatives to swap them out with artificial intelligence," Vincke concluded.
