Hermen Hulst said that the use of artificial intelligence in game development depends on the balance of artificial intelligence and human touch.
With the rapid development of artificial intelligence (AI) technology, it is predicted that it will be adopted by the video game industry in the near future and will have an impact on development processes. But PlayStation CEO Hermen Hulst believes the “human touch” will never be fully replaced.
“Balance Between AI and Human Touch is Crucial”
In an interview with the BBC, Hulst acknowledged the transformative potential of AI, but also emphasized the importance of maintaining a balance between machine-driven innovation and the creative ingenuity of human developers.
“I predict that there will be a dual demand in the gaming world: one for innovative AI-powered experiences, the other for thoughtful, handcrafted content,” said Hulst, adding, “Finding the right balance between leveraging artificial intelligence and retaining the human touch will be very important.”
Hulst’s statement comes at a critical time when the gaming industry is grappling with conflicting feelings about AI-powered content. Although the technology offers new possibilities for immersive gaming experiences, developers, voice actors, and players have expressed concerns about its potential to hurt creativity and originality. Voice actors, in particular, went on strike in July over concerns of being “copied” by artificial intelligence.
However, some names in the industry are embracing artificial intelligence more boldly. EA CEO Andrew Wilson called the technology the “core” of his company’s forward-looking business strategy. Nihom Falcom President Toshihiro Kondo said that “we will benefit from the benefits of artificial intelligence in the future, and this will be especially true for game development.”
Even Blizzard gets help from artificial intelligence to update its games. World of Warcraft designer Maria Hamilton and lead world artist Kristy Moret have revealed that they use AI to handle tedious tasks.
Still, names such as Nintendo President Shuntaro Furukawa emphasized that they will focus on “delivering unique values that cannot be achieved with technology alone” while responding flexibly to the development of technology.