Take-Two Interactive CEO Strauss Zelnick has shared some interesting thoughts on the topic of AI for game development. Although he previously said generative AI has “zero part” in GTA 6, he does admit that artificial intelligence is a useful tool for speeding up development. However, that doesn’t mean it will be able to create anything special on its own.

Zelnick has been a go-to figure when it comes to GTA 6 news. He recently claimed that GTA 6 marketing is coming soon, and despite the lack of pre-orders just yet (even though everyone was expecting them on May 18), we seem to be incredibly close to the all-important GTA 6 trailer 3. Hype is building, and people are ready to purchase the latest entry to the franchise.

Strauss Zelnick summarizes his thoughts on AI and creativity

In a lengthy interview with David Senra, Zelnick spoke of topics ranging from Borderlands to Hollywood. But let’s focus on GTA 6. Take-Two Interactive owns Rockstar Games, and its CEO admits during the interview that getting people “to buy GTA [is] not so hard” when compared to marketing/selling a brand-new IP, without or without the help of AI.

We’ve summarized some of his points on AI in the quote below, where he highlights where the technology is useful and where it falls flat. Zelnick still holds the opinion that AI is useful, but it can’t replace the creativity of developers.

“Data sets by their very nature are backward-looking. Creativity by its very nature is forward-looking. Creativity is informed by data. […] Derivative properties don’t work. So, that’s where the threat has been lost, that AI so far is really great at asset creation, but hit creation is not asset creation. Asset creation is a necessary but insufficient condition for hit creation.”

Strauss Zelnick, Take-Two Interactive CEO

Giving the example of a GTA clone executed far quicker than Rockstar, Zelnick says, “It won’t be GTA. It’ll be a clone of GTA. Clones don’t sell.” “All hits are by their very nature unexpected,” he adds. Zelnick says this is “the most important thing to take away” – entirely data-driven media “can’t be unexpected,” therefore will fail to be a smash hit.

Zelnick has dismissed the generalized idea that “with AI, anyone can make a video game” – the same could have been said before AI came into the picture. Game development tools have long been commercially available, and while AI may help boost productivity and create assets, “speed isn’t the issue,” says Zelnick. The fact remains that only a small number of hit games are made in a year compared to thousands of attempts, when you take into account all platforms.

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Jack Goodall

At PC Guide, Jack is mostly responsible for reporting on hardware deals. He also specializes in monitors, TVs, and headsets and can be found putting his findings together in a review or best-of guide.