The Divinity Developer Clarifies Its Implementation of Generative AI for Upcoming Divinity

The developer behind popular RPGs like Baldur's Gate 3 and Divinity: Original Sin has recently teased its upcoming project, creating significant anticipation within the industry. However, subsequent statements from the company's co-founder have added a new dimension to the conversation, touching on the developer's stance toward machine learning.

Augmenting Workflows, Not Cutting Jobs

In a latest statement, the studio's founder detailed that the developer is utilizing AI technology for certain preliminary functions. These involve enhancing pitch decks, generating rough artistic references, and writing draft text.

Importantly, Vincke made clear that the shipping assets in the game will be created entirely by actual writers. "Our team is developing everything manually," he stated.

Our studio is continuously expanding our pool of writers and are actively forming dedicated writer rooms.

As concept art is being particularly referenced — we presently have over twenty artistic staff and have job openings for additional creatives.

Everything we do is additive and designed to enabling creatives to spend greater focus on the creative process.

Any machine learning application applied correctly is additive to a artist's process, never a stand-in for their talent.

Addressing Concerns and Clarifying the Vision

The admission of using AI at first provoked concern among a segment of the community. In response, Vincke offered more clarification on public forums.

"At Larian, we employ these tools to gather inspiration, similar to we use search engines and reference books," he stated. "In the initial brainstorming phase we use it as a rough outline for composition which we then substitute with original illustrations."

He continued, "We've hired creatives for their inherent skill, not for their capacity to replicate what a algorithm proposes."

Focused Uses for Machine Learning

Vincke had earlier outlined the company's focused method to AI and ML, categorizing its use into key areas:

• Streamlining Repetitive Work: This encompasses refining animations, dialogue cleanup, and pipeline-specific tasks like retargeting animations.
• Fast-Tracked Experimentation: Using systems to quickly build rough models of scenarios to experiment with concepts before full implementation.
• Long-Term Aspirations: Exploring how AI could one day create emergent gameplay, specifically in simulating dynamic reactions in a complex RPG.

He specifically affirmed that central narrative disciplines — including visual art — are not fields where the company is cutting creative involvement. Conversely, Larian is recruiting more in these very roles.

"We are not releasing a game with any AI components, and we are certainly not looking at cutting creatives to replace them with artificial intelligence," Vincke summarized.