AI Displaces Game Industry Workers: WIRED Investigates

Artificial intelligence is actively penetrating the gaming industry, changing the structure of jobs and influencing the fate of workers. Companies are implementing AI technologies to optimize costs and improve productivity, leading to reductions and changes in work processes.

AI in gamedev

Scales of influence

The video game industry is undergoing significant changes due to the introduction of artificial intelligence. According to research, more than 10,500 workers in the industry will lose their jobs in 2023, and this number will increase by another 11,000 this year. The Game Developers Conference survey found that almost half of respondents are already using AI in the workplace, with the majority expressing ethical concerns in this respect.

AI in the gaming industry how artificial intelligence is displacing workers

Company strategies

Leading market players approach AI implementation in different ways. Blizzard develops its own system called Blizzard Diffusion, prohibiting the use of third-party models. Activision, on the other hand, is actively experimenting with GPT-3.5 and other tools for creating concept art and marketing materials. Electronic Arts, after cutting 5% of its staff, sees AI as part of a "revolution" in the industry. Riot Games is working on an internal AI model, trying to balance innovation and saving jobs.

AI in the gaming industry how artificial intelligence is displacing workers

Impact on workers

Concept artists, graphic designers and illustrators experience the greatest pressure. In China, the number of vacancies for illustrators has decreased by 70%. Japanese startups like Crypko AI offer AI-powered character generation for significantly less than the labor of a human artist. Workers are often forced to adapt to new demands, including experience with AI tools, for fear of losing their jobs.

AI in the gaming industry how artificial intelligence is displacing workers

Community reaction

The introduction of AI is causing concern among industry workers. Many express reluctance to use these technologies, but are forced to do so due to pressure from management. The situation prompts discussion of the creation of unions: according to a GDC survey, 57% of developers support the idea of unionizing to protect their rights.

Glossary

Blizzard is an American video game development company known for the Warcraft, Diablo, StarCraft
Activision is an American video game publisher known for the Call of Duty series
Electronic Arts (EA) is an American company that develops and publishes video games
Riot Games - American video game development company, creators of League of Legends
GPT-3.5 - artificial intelligence model for natural language processing

Reference

WIRED Research on the Impact of AI on the Gaming Industry

Questions Answered

How is artificial intelligence affecting jobs in the gaming industry?

AI is having a significant impact on the gaming industry, leading to reductions and changes in work processes. According to surveys, almost 90% of video game companies have already implemented generative AI programs. The hardest hit are concept artists, graphic designers, and illustrators, whose tasks are often outsourced to AI tools to save money and improve productivity.

Which companies are actively implementing AI in their work processes?

Among the companies actively implementing AI, it is worth noting Blizzard, which is developing its own AI system Blizzard Diffusion, Activision, which uses GPT-3.5 and other AI tools for content creation, Electronic Arts, which cut 5% of its workforce, and Riot Games, which is working on an internal AI model. Chinese and Japanese companies are also actively integrating AI into their processes.

How are gaming industry workers responding to the introduction of AI?

Many workers in the gaming industry are negative about the implementation of AI, but are often forced to use these technologies due to pressure from management and fear of losing their jobs. This caused an increase in interest in trade unions: 57% of surveyed developers support the idea of joining a trade union to protect their rights and interests.

What are the advantages and disadvantages of using AI in the gaming industry?

Benefits of using AI include cost reduction, increased productivity, and the ability to compensate for staff attrition. However, this leads to de-skilling of workers, fewer jobs and potentially lower content quality. In Japan, for example, Crypko AI offers AI-generated images for $34, compared to $692 for a human-generated illustration.

How can AI affect the future of the gaming industry?

Generative AI is predicted to contribute to more than half of the game development process in the next 5-10 years. This could lead to significant changes in the structure of the workforce, particularly in the creative professions. However, some experts believe that in the long term, new opportunities for workers may appear, as was the case with previous technological revolutions.

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2024-07-27

A WIRED investigation reveals how artificial intelligence is gradually displacing workers in the games industry, especially artists. Studio heads force employees to work with AI or fire them.

Galina Ostrachinyna
Galina Ostrachinyna Copywriter Elbuz

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