The Divinity Developer Details Its Application of Machine Learning for Upcoming Project

The team behind acclaimed titles like Baldur's Gate 3 and Divinity: Original Sin just unveiled its new project, creating immense anticipation within the gaming community. However, subsequent comments from the studio's figurehead have added nuance to the conversation, focusing on the developer's approach toward machine learning.

Augmenting Workflows, Not Cutting Jobs

In a recent message, the studio's founder outlined that the developer is employing generative AI for specific ancillary functions. These encompass enhancing presentation materials, creating initial concept art, and creating placeholder dialogue.

Notably, Vincke emphasized that the end material in the game will be created entirely by human creatives. "Larian is developing all the content manually," he said.

Our studio is constantly growing our roster of concept artists and are actively putting together narrative groups.

Since this area is being explicitly referenced — we currently have over twenty concept artists and have roles to fill for additional talent.

Everything we do is additive and focused on letting our team spend additional energy on making content.

Every machine learning application used well is supplementary to a developer's process, not a replacement for their skill.

Tempering Reactions with Clear Intent

The revelation of employing this technology at first generated backlash among portions of the player base. In reply, Vincke offered additional elaboration on social media.

"At Larian, we employ machine learning to explore references, just like we use Google and art books," he explained. "In the conceptual ideation stages we use it as a basic framework for layout which we then replace with original illustrations."

He continued, "Larian brings on talent for their unique talent, not for their capacity to follow what a AI generates."

Key Areas of AI Integration

Vincke had previously outlined the team's practical method to AI and ML, categorizing its use into primary areas:

• Streamlining Repetitive Work: This encompasses polishing mocap data, voice editing, and pipeline-specific tasks like adjusting assets for various species.
• Accelerated Iteration: Using tools to rapidly prototype simple versions of gameplay ideas to validate concepts prior to full implementation.
• Experimental Frontiers: Investigating how AI could in the future facilitate emergent reactivity, especially in managing dynamic reactions in a vast role-playing world.

He explicitly affirmed that core creative domains — such as music composition — are are in no way areas where the team is replacing creative talent. In fact, Larian is actively hiring in these precise fields.

"Larian is not launching a game with AI-generated content, nor looking at trimming down creatives to replace them with artificial intelligence," Vincke concluded.