As anticipation builds for Grand Theft Auto VI (GTA 6), fans are buzzing with expectations that the game’s non-player characters (NPCs) will leverage advanced AI to deliver immersive, dynamic interactions in its open-world environment. However, Strauss Zelnick, chairman and CEO of Take-Two Interactive, the parent company of Rockstar Games, has tempered expectations about AI’s role in gaming. Speaking at the Paley International Council Summit, Zelnick praised AI’s utility but cautioned that its creative potential is overstated, emphasizing that it cannot replace human ingenuity in crafting groundbreaking titles like GTA 6.
PC Gamer reported that Zelnick said at the Paley International Council Summit this week that, “AI is a great thing” for “every industry,” including video games. But it’s not a magic wand. He elaborated, stating, “Will it recreate or create genius? No. Will it create hits? No. It’s a bunch of data with a bunch of compute with a language model attached.” Zelnick’s remarks underscore his belief that AI, while useful, is limited to processing existing data and cannot generate the forward-looking creativity required for iconic games.
Zelnick described AI as a combination of large datasets, computational power, and large language models (LLMs), which are inherently backward-looking. “By definition, a data set is what? Backward-looking. By definition, creativity is what? Forward-looking,” he said. He argued that AI’s predictive capabilities are not equivalent to true creative innovation, a point he has made before when dismissing the idea that AI could independently produce a competitor to Grand Theft Auto. “It’s not going to allow someone to say, ‘Please develop the competitor to Grand Theft Auto that’s better than Grand Theft Auto,’ and then they just send it out and ship it digitally,” he said.
Addressing concerns about AI’s impact on jobs, Zelnick rejected the notion of net job losses, citing historical shifts in employment. “In 1865, 65% of the US workforce was involved in agriculture. Today we make food for America and food for the rest of the world. And 2% of the workforce is involved with agriculture,” he said, suggesting that AI, like past technologies, will shift rather than eliminate jobs. He compared AI to a hand calculator, noting that while calculators didn’t eliminate the need to learn math, they made tasks easier—a role he sees for tools like ChatGPT in game development.
Other industry voices have different perspectives. Masahiro Sakurai, creator of Kirby and Super Smash Bros., believes AI can address the unsustainable costs of AAA game development. Glen Schofield, co-creator of Dead Space, sees AI as a potential savior for a struggling industry. Sony has credited AI for speeding up development on Marvel’s Spider-Man 2, and EA Sports noted that machine learning improved College Football 25.
However, concerns persist, with 30% of developers in a recent survey citing generative AI’s negative impacts, including intellectual property theft, energy consumption, and biases—up 12% from 2023. Reports of layoffs at Activision Blizzard, where Candy Crush developers claimed replacement by AI tools they created, and fears of job cuts at EA amid a potential private sale highlight ongoing tensions.
As the industry navigates AI’s role, GTA 6 remains a focal point of excitement. Set for release in Fall 2025 on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S, the game promises to build on the legacy of the Grand Theft Auto series. Following a teaser trailer in December 2023, fans eagerly await further details, with Rockstar Games poised to deliver another landmark title driven by human creativity, not just AI tools.
