Artificial Intelligence
Ongoing coverage on Artificial Intelligence.
Latest coverage
AI Yi-Yi!
Take-Two Interactive has reportedly reshuffled its artificial intelligence team, including the dismissal of its AI boss just one month after the company announced its embrace of AI technologies. This move comes amid broader discussions about the connection between AI and job displacement.
Nintendo Switch Triumphs: Star Fox and Mario Steal the ... | TAG
Several gaming news outlets report on recent updates and releases. Star Fox titles are now available on Nintendo Switch Online, while Slay the Spire 2 enters early access. Bungie is buffing the Recon class in Marathon, and Marvel and DC are set for a Spider-Man/Superman crossover in 2026. Additionally, Take-Two has reportedly laid off members of its AI team.
Report: Take-Two lays off the head of AI and multiple team members
Take-Two Interactive, parent company of Rockstar Games and Zynga, has reportedly laid off its head of AI, Luke Dicken, and multiple team members. Dicken stated that shifting priorities from upper management impacted his team. The company has previously expressed interest in generative AI for efficiency and cost reduction, despite developer concerns.
Sony's Latest Acquisition Is a UK-Based Machine Learning Company
Sony has acquired the UK-based machine learning and computer vision company Cinemersive Labs, which will join its new Visual Computing Group. Cinemersive's expertise in AI and computer vision is expected to enhance gameplay visuals, rendering techniques, and overall visual fidelity in future games. While not a traditional game developer, Cinemersive has experience creating immersive experiences for platforms like Meta Quest.
The Morning After: NASA’s Artemis II is on a voyage around the Moon
NASA's Artemis II mission successfully launched, marking the first crewed flight around the Moon in the Artemis program. The mission aims to test the Orion capsule's capabilities for future lunar landers, despite minor issues like a malfunctioning onboard toilet. The article also briefly touches on other news including SpaceX's potential IPO, new EVs, Apple executive retirements, battery technology claims, and reviews of audio and projector equipment.
Following CEO's AI Doubts, Take-Two's AI Team Is Shrinking
Take-Two Interactive has reduced its artificial intelligence research and implementation team, including the departure of its head of AI, Luke Dicken. CEO Strauss Zelnick has expressed a belief that generative AI can aid game development by handling mundane tasks, freeing up creators for more complex work, though he dismisses the idea that it can independently create major titles like Grand Theft Auto 6.
Take-Two has seemingly laid off an unspecified portion of its AI team, including its Head of Artificial Intelligence
Take-Two Interactive has reportedly laid off its Head of Artificial Intelligence, Luke Dicken, and an unspecified portion of its AI team. This comes despite CEO Strauss Zelnick's recent statements about the company actively embracing generative AI and implementing numerous pilot programs across its studios.
Reddit posts can be more important than data, and other lessons from maintaining Candy Crush as a forever game
Eva Ryott, King's head of live operations, discusses maintaining Candy Crush Saga as a 'forever game' by focusing on player needs and leveraging AI for content creation and workflow support. She highlights the importance of combining data-driven insights with innovation and listening to player feedback, even from platforms like Reddit, to keep the long-running mobile title engaging.
Sony Interactive Entertainment acquires UK-based Cinemersive Labs
Sony Interactive Entertainment has acquired UK-based Cinemersive Labs, a company specializing in camera technology for AR/VR experiences. Cinemersive Labs also focuses on machine learning and generative AI-assisted 3D photographic technology.
Take-Two’s Head of AI Departs, Even Though Its CEO Was “Very Enthusiastic” About the Technology
Take-Two Interactive's Head of Artificial Intelligence, Luke Dicken, and his team have departed the company, despite CEO Strauss Zelnick's stated enthusiasm for AI in game development. While Zelnick believes AI tools can drive efficiencies, he also maintains they cannot create great entertainment properties on their own. The departure comes as Take-Two continues development on Grand Theft Auto 6, which is reportedly being handcrafted by Rockstar North.
ARC Raiders Studio’s Parent Company Wants to Use More AI to “Free” Developers to be Creative
Nexon, the parent company of Embark Studio, is discussing its strategy for using generative AI in game development. Executives Patrick Söderlund and Junghun Lee believe that understanding the challenge of AI, rather than just adopting tools, will lead to success. They emphasize that AI, when used with their proprietary 'Mono Lake Initiative' context, frees developers to focus on creative aspects rather than replacing them.
Massively Overthinking: So how panicked are we about the state of the games industry?
Industry veterans Brenda and John Romero expressed deep concern over the current state of the games industry, citing funding issues, AI concerns, and studio closures. The Massively OP staff discusses these worries, with some feeling resigned and others cautiously optimistic about a potential industry correction, particularly concerning the future of MMORPGs.
AI Yi-Yi!
Microsoft has launched three new AI models, directly competing with OpenAI and Google. Google also announced its Gemma 4 open AI models, switching to an Apache 2.0 license. The article mentions Gemma 4 in relation to RTX technology.
Sony's gaming division just bought an AI startup that turns photos into 3D volumes
Sony Interactive Entertainment has acquired UK-based AI startup Cinemersive Labs, known for its technology that converts 2D photos and videos into 3D volumes. The Cinemersive team will join Sony's Visual Computing Group to advance graphical technology for games, including rendering techniques and generative AI models. This acquisition is expected to enhance visual fidelity on platforms like the PlayStation 5.
RTS game loses online support as AI company buys out its servers
The real-time strategy game Stormgate has temporarily lost online support after its server provider, Hathora, was acquired by an AI company. The new owners are shutting down Hathora's services at the end of April, forcing Frost Giant Studios to make the game playable offline while they seek a new server solution. The article speculates on the broader impact of AI companies acquiring server infrastructure on the gaming industry.
OpenAI brings ChatGPT's Voice mode to CarPlay
OpenAI has integrated ChatGPT's Voice mode into Apple CarPlay, allowing users with compatible vehicles and updated software to engage in voice conversations. While it cannot control car functions or be activated by a wake word, it can be used for advice, brainstorming, and language practice.
Quoteworthy
Nexon has described its upcoming game Arc Raiders as a "Trojan Horse" for its artificial intelligence development initiatives. Meanwhile, PUBG is reportedly aiming to achieve "global cultural icon" status, similar to Fortnite. The article also briefly mentions The Last of Us multiplayer.
CoreWeave co-founder says even older GPUs are still rising in price and are in demand for AI servers
CoreWeave co-founder Brannin McBee stated that older GPUs, specifically from Nvidia's Ampere generation (circa 2020), are still in high demand for AI servers. This demand persists even as newer generations like Hopper and Blackwell are released, indicating that not all AI workloads require the latest hardware. The continued robust demand for these older SKUs contributes to rising prices in a supply-constrained market.
Google releases Gemma 4, a family of open models built off of Gemini 3
Google has released Gemma 4, a new family of open-weight large language models built upon the technology behind Gemini 3 Pro. The models come in various sizes, including 2-billion and 4-billion parameter versions for edge devices, and 26-billion and 31-billion parameter versions for more powerful hardware. Google claims these models offer an unprecedented level of intelligence-per-parameter and are capable of processing video, images, and audio in over 140 languages.
Arc Raiders is a 'Trojan Horse' for demonstrating AI tool usage in game development, according to Nexon, after Embark built two hits at 'a fraction of the cost you’d expect'
Nexon executive chairman Patrick Söderlund discussed how Embark Studios utilized AI tools and smarter processes to develop games like The Finals and Arc Raiders at a significantly lower cost than typical AAA titles. Söderlund emphasized that understanding how and why to use AI is crucial for success in game development, a philosophy he aims to implement across Nexon's teams.
