Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick visited CNBC’s Squawk Box for an interview on Monday of the back of GTA 6‘s delay and the company’s stock drop. He was asked about all sorts of things from GTA VI to AI.
CNBC reported his thoughts on consoles and PC in a dedicated which we covered here. However, another topic of conversation will be about how he and the company views AI. This is a topic Strauss has engaged with before but he has more insight into what Take-Two are doing this time around.
What Are They Doing With AI?
In the live broadcast, Zelnick was discussing Rockstar and other games such as Fortnite before he was given a different question: could AI be learning what you do as you go along in a game? Can it evolve with the player?
The CEO nodded in agreement. He believes they can create efficiencies in games development with AI. This is something Take-Two are doing according to Zelnick. “We are seeing some good, early results on creating efficiencies. By the way, efficiencies is not code for reducing employment. Efficiencies is code for taking away mundane tasks so people can focus on more interesting and more creative tasks.”
Strauss follows up that by offering an alternative look: “However, you’re also right in the more creative part of the game, historically, we had to script every single action that a character engaged in because it is interactive.” This is especially true when it comes to Rockstar Games titles.
This does not mean writers will be replaced by AI. Zelnick calls out the need for “great writers” all the time. That said, he thinks “characters should be able to be trained on that very scripting that has been created by great writers and then interact in a way that’s more natural. So I do see that happening.”
Another host of Squawk Box questioned Zelnick if the AI will get to the point where anyone can make a game that looks as good as titles like GTA 6 or will it never happen.
The CEO said “Never is a long time. The moat is not just the creation. It’s everything that goes around creating entertainment. Part of it is having a place to work for the best and the brightest and the most creative. For example, where all they can do is apply their trade. Part of it is being able to market and distribute. I think that if you said create a graphic image with AI that looks just as good as an image in a professional piece of entertainment, sure. But can you put it all together and create a massive hit? Probably not.”
What do you think to Strauss’ comments? Let us know down in the comments section below. For more GTA VI and Red Dead Redemption news updates, stay tuned to RockstarINTEL.
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