The Creators of Baldur's Gate 3 Clarifies Its Implementation of AI Tools for New Project

The team behind hit RPGs like Baldur's Gate 3 and Divinity: Original Sin has recently teased its next major project, sparking a wave of hype within the industry. However, recent comments from the studio's lead designer have introduced nuance to the conversation, focusing on the team's stance toward AI tools.

Augmenting Workflows, Not Cutting Jobs

In a latest message, the studio's founder explained that the team is employing AI technology for particular ancillary tasks. These include fleshing out PowerPoint slides, producing rough artistic references, and writing placeholder dialogue.

Notably, Vincke emphasized that the final material in the game will be authored solely by real artists. "Our team is developing all the content ourselves," he stated.

Our studio is continuously growing our pool of writers and are currently forming narrative groups.

Given that this area is being specifically called out — we currently have twenty-three visual developers and have job openings for additional creatives.

Each initiative we do is incremental and focused on having people spend more time on actual creation.

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

Tempering Reactions with Clear Intent

The admission of AI usage originally provoked backlash among portions of the fanbase. In reply, Vincke offered additional elaboration on social media.

"We use machine learning to explore references, just like we use the internet and reference books," he stated. "During the initial ideation stages we use it as a rough outline for composition which we then substitute with hand-crafted illustrations."

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

Focused Uses for Machine Learning

Vincke had previously outlined the studio's practical method to this technology, defining its use into three main areas:

• Handling Monotonous Jobs: This includes polishing mocap data, dialogue cleanup, and pipeline-specific tasks like retargeting animations.
• Rapid Prototyping ('White Boxing'): Using technology to speedily create simple mock-ups of gameplay ideas to test concepts prior to expensive development.
• Long-Term Aspirations: Researching how machine learning could one day enhance emergent player agency, specifically in creating dynamic reactions in a complex RPG.

He specifically affirmed that key artistic domains — such as visual art — are are in no way areas where the company is cutting artistic input. On the contrary, Larian is expanding its staff in these precise fields.

"We are not shipping a game with AI-generated content, nor considering cutting teams to substitute them with artificial intelligence," Vincke summarized.