Larian Studios Clarifies Its Application of AI Tools for New Divinity Game

The studio behind popular role-playing games like Baldur's Gate 3 and Divinity: Original Sin just teased its upcoming project, generating a wave of excitement within the player base. However, follow-up remarks from the company's lead designer have introduced clarity to the conversation, focusing on the studio's stance toward AI tools.

Augmenting Workflows, Not Cutting Jobs

In a new message, Larian's director outlined that the developer is using machine learning for particular ancillary functions. These include enhancing presentation materials, generating early-stage artistic references, and drafting placeholder text.

Importantly, Vincke made clear that the final material in the game will be created solely by real creatives. "We are creating everything in-house," he stated.

Larian is constantly expanding our roster of concept artists and are currently putting together dedicated writer rooms.

As visual development is being explicitly mentioned — we presently have 23 visual developers and have positions available for further artists.

All our efforts we do is additive and focused on having people spend more time on the creative process.

Every ML tool used well is a boost to a creative team workflow, not a substitute for their talent.

Tempering Reactions with Clear Intent

The news of AI usage originally sparked unease among a segment of the community. In response, Vincke offered additional detail on social media.

"Our team utilizes AI tools to gather inspiration, in the same way we use search engines and art books," he wrote. "During the conceptual planning process we use it as a basic framework for composition which we then swap out with original artwork."

He continued, "We've hired creatives for their inherent skill, not for their ability to follow what a machine suggests."

Focused Uses for Machine Learning

Vincke had earlier broken down the team's targeted strategy to machine learning, grouping its use into key areas:

• Automation of Tedious Tasks: This encompasses polishing mocap data, dialogue cleanup, and Larian-specific work like adapting animations for different models.
• Accelerated Iteration: Using tools to quickly build simple models of mechanics to experiment with concepts ahead of expensive implementation.
• Long-Term Aspirations: Investigating how machine learning could one day enhance new forms of player agency, specifically in simulating player-driven narratives in a complex RPG.

He specifically affirmed that central narrative domains — such as visual art — are are absolutely not departments where the company is reducing creative talent. On the contrary, Larian is expanding its staff in these exact fields.

"Larian is not shipping a game with any AI components, and we are certainly not considering reducing staff to swap them out with artificial intelligence," Vincke concluded.