The Divinity Developer Explains Its Use of Machine Learning for Upcoming Divinity Game

The team behind hit titles like Baldur's Gate 3 and Divinity: Original Sin just shown its new project, sparking significant hype within the gaming community. However, follow-up comments from the studio's co-founder have introduced nuance to the discussion, addressing the team's philosophy toward machine learning.

AI as a Creative Assistant, Not a Substitute

In a latest clarification, the studio's founder detailed that the team is using generative AI for specific preliminary purposes. These encompass enhancing pitch decks, creating early-stage visual ideas, and writing temporary copy.

Importantly, Vincke stressed that the final material in the game will be authored exclusively by real artists. "We are writing all the content manually," he stated.

Our studio is continuously expanding our team of writers and are busily forming narrative groups.

Since this area is being specifically referenced — we currently have 23 artistic staff and have job openings for additional artists.

Everything we do is incremental and aimed at letting our team spend additional energy on making content.

Every ML tool implemented properly is additive to a artist's routine, never a stand-in for their craft.

Addressing Concerns and Clarifying the Vision

The revelation of AI usage at first sparked backlash among portions of the community. In reply, Vincke issued further clarification on public forums.

"At Larian, we employ machine learning to research ideas, in the same way we use the internet and art books," he stated. "In the very early planning process we use it as a simple sketch for layout which we then replace with hand-crafted illustrations."

He added, "Larian brings on artists for their inherent skill, not for their ability to replicate what a machine suggests."

Focused Uses for Machine Learning

Vincke had in the past detailed the team's focused approach to AI and ML, defining its use into three main pillars:

• Automation of Tedious Tasks: This encompasses motion capture cleaning, voice editing, and technical processes like adjusting assets for various species.
• Rapid Prototyping ('White Boxing'): Using systems to rapidly prototype simple versions of gameplay ideas to experiment with concepts ahead of expensive development.
• Future Potential for Gameplay: Exploring how AI could in the future facilitate emergent player agency, particularly in simulating dynamic reactions in a vast role-playing world.

He clearly affirmed that core creative disciplines — like visual art — are are in no way departments where the team is reducing artistic talent. Conversely, Larian is recruiting more in these very fields.

"We are not shipping a game with AI-generated content, nor considering trimming down staff to replace them with artificial intelligence," Vincke summarized.