The Creators of Baldur's Gate 3 Details Its Use of AI Tools for Upcoming Divinity Game

The studio behind popular role-playing games like Baldur's Gate 3 and Divinity: Original Sin has recently teased its new project, creating a wave of excitement within the gaming community. However, recent comments from the company's lead designer have brought a new dimension to the discussion, addressing the studio's philosophy toward AI tools.

Augmenting Workflows, Not Cutting Jobs

In a latest statement, Larian's director outlined that the team is using generative AI for certain ancillary functions. These involve enhancing pitch decks, creating initial artistic references, and writing temporary copy.

Notably, Vincke emphasized that the final content in the game will be authored entirely by human creatives. "We are creating all the content manually," he said.

Our studio is actively expanding our roster of storytellers and are currently forming dedicated writer rooms.

Since concept art is being explicitly called out — we presently have 23 artistic staff and have positions available for more artists.

All our efforts we do is supplementary and designed to having people spend greater focus on actual creation.

Every AI system used well is a boost to a developer's workflow, not a substitute for their talent.

Addressing Concerns and Clarifying the Vision

The news of using AI initially provoked backlash among portions of the community. In response, Vincke issued more detail on public forums.

"Our team utilizes AI tools to gather inspiration, similar to we use the internet and reference books," he stated. "In the initial brainstorming phase we use it as a simple sketch for composition which we then swap out with original artwork."

He added, "We've hired creatives for their creative vision, not for their willingness to replicate what a AI generates."

Three Pillars of Practical Application

Vincke had previously broken down the company's focused strategy to this technology, grouping its use into primary pillars:

• Streamlining Repetitive Work: This encompasses refining animations, voice editing, and Larian-specific work like retargeting animations.
• Accelerated Iteration: Using tools to quickly build simple models of mechanics to test concepts ahead of expensive development.
• Future Potential for Gameplay: Investigating how machine learning could eventually create innovative reactivity, specifically in creating player-driven narratives in a complex RPG.

He explicitly affirmed that key artistic domains — like writing — are are absolutely not areas where the studio is reducing creative talent. On the contrary, Larian is expanding its staff in these precise fields.

"We are not shipping a game with AI-generated content, and we are certainly not looking at cutting staff to substitute them with artificial intelligence," Vincke stated definitively.