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**Larian Studios Responds to AI Debate: A Dedication to Creative Principles**

Shortly after comments regarding artificial intelligence (AI) ignited considerable discourse among fans and industry analysts, Larian Studios co-founder Swen Vincke has offered an in-depth examination of the studio’s beliefs concerning AI technology in game creation. This reply is part of an enhanced initiative to tackle worries arising from the studio’s recent trials with generative AI, especially concerning their forthcoming RPG, *Divinity*.

In a message on X (previously known as Twitter), Vincke underscored that Larian Studios’ fundamental belief centers on enabling its teams to leverage their abilities and creativity. “Our achievements derive from empowering individuals to operate in their own style and maximize their skill & craft, so that we can develop the finest RPGs possible,” he commented. This principle is essential to Larian’s development methodology, which strongly prioritizes the significance of human ingenuity in conjunction with the exploration of cutting-edge technological advancements.

The uproar started when reports indicated that Larian was employing generative AI for tasks such as placeholder text, presentation materials, and concept art references. While Vincke has reassured fans that AI is not meant to supplant human creativity, skepticism and discontent from the community arose concerning the implications of AI employment in creative sectors. Critics expressed ethical worries regarding AI’s dependence on pre-existing artistic works and the concern that the studio’s revered standards might be undermined.

In light of immediate pushback, Vincke clarified that Larian had no plans to substitute its skilled concept artists with AI. “Holy fuck guys we’re not ‘pushing hard’ for or replacing concept artists with AI,” he remarked, emphasizing that the studio’s workforce is made up of creatives selected for their talent rather than for their capacity to adhere to AI-generated recommendations. He instead positioned AI as a resource for artists to explore, aimed at alleviating their workload and fostering creativity rather than stifling it.

Despite these reassurances, dissatisfaction remained among fans. Vincke acknowledged the necessity to clarify the studio’s stance on AI and the ongoing conversation surrounding it. He recognized the polarizing nature of the issue and its effect on the community’s view of Larian Studios, committing to address these matters more thoroughly in a forthcoming AMA (Ask Me Anything) on Reddit scheduled after the holiday break.

In his complete statement, Vincke reaffirmed Larian’s pledge to responsibly assess new technologies while focusing on autonomy, creativity, and efficient workflows. He stressed that any changes in their development practices would correspond with their core beliefs and the expectations of their audience.

The impending AMA will serve as a venue for fans to directly pose inquiries about *Divinity* and how Larian intends to incorporate AI into their development processes, providing further insight into the studio’s creative methodologies and the role of AI in the future of gaming.

Vincke wrapped up with warm wishes for the holiday season, indicating a cooperative spirit within the industry as Larian navigates the intricacies linked to the implementation of AI in game development. The studio’s strategy underscores the delicate balance of embracing innovation while remaining conscious of its effects on creativity and artistic integrity.

Sundays are for writing your first ever Sunday Papers. Though your excitement, like mine, may slip a little when you realise you’ve been reading almost anything but gaming articles this week. So, I shall be leaning quite heavily into the “(mostly)” in the column’s mission of rounding up “great writing about (mostly) videogames”.

I hope you’ll be able to find as much joy in writing about bacteria, lighthouses, and life after a nuclear war as I have.

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The ongoing RAM shortage (and subsequent and pricing explosion) is imposing a wider range of grim effects than even the Great GPU Famine of 2020. First came the death of one of gaming hardware’s most reliable memory and SSD makers, and now… uh… Larian’s new Divinity game is going to be more optimised for PC than it otherwise would have been?

That’s what Larian CEO Swen Vincke (clearly on a media tour – here’s him discussing Divinity with our Edwin) told TheGamer, anyway. Vincke notes that because the lack of affordable RAM options is making it harder to predict the horsepower of future PCs, “we already need to do a lot of optimization work in early access that we didn’t necessarily want to do at that point in time.” That doesn’t sound especially horrible to me – higher performance on lower-end rigs ultimately means more players can join in – though nowhere in the full interview does Vincke acknowledge that the shortage is being directly caused and sustained by demand from data centres that power generative AI, a technology that Larian are using in Divinity’s production, and that Vincke himself is defending the use of.

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