Embracer embraces a 'human-centric' AI policy, says vague stuff about how it will 'massively enhance game development'

Struggling videogame conglomerate Embracer Group appears to be embracing the rise of artificial intelligence: In its latest annual report, the company laid out a strategy for incorporating AI in its future work, saying that the tech «has the capability to massively enhance game development by increasing resource efficiency» and «adding intelligent behaviors, personalization, and optimization to gameplay experiences.»

The use of generative AI in game development is a touchy topic to say the least. Broadly speaking, a lot of creative types tend not to care for it to put it mildly, but high-priced executives really do; some people say it will inevitably put people out of work (you don't have to pay a machine to spit out a picture, after all), while others (again, high-priced executives) insist, to borrow a phrase, no it won't.

Regardless of where you come down on that particular divide, efforts to incorporate it into game development have faced significant criticism: Blizzard recently went so far as to reassure gamers that it's not using generative AI in World of Warcraft. But that's not putting off Embracer, which said the rapid development of large language models (LLMs) has resulted in the creation of AI capable of far greater things than in the past, «like spotting complex patterns, contributing with advanced coding, and perhaps most notably, delivering increasingly human-like interaction.»

Increased capability isn't the only driving force behind Embracer's increasing adoption of AI: Everyone else is doing it too, and hey, Embracer doesn't want to miss the boat.

«Certainly, one of the major risks for a company is not to use AI, as this would mean a competitive disadvantage vis-à-vis other industry players,» Embracer privacy and AI governance head Tomas Hedman said. «Most companies will move forward on AI integration in different ways. For us, it is the way that we do this that is the most critical element.»

«We do not want to replace people with AI, we want to