Dan Houser, co-founder of Rockstar Games and one of the creative minds behind Grand Theft Auto and Red Dead Redemption, recently appeared on the British talk show Sunday Brunch to promote his new novel. Unlike his recent appearances in other interviews, where he talked about his favorite games from the franchise or his thoughts about why GTA is always set in the United States, he shared his thoughts on a buzzword that's being thrown around everywhere these days: AI.
During the interview, Houser confirmed that his new company, Absurd Ventures, has been developing a video game set in the same universe as his novel for approximately 18 months. He then shared that his company is experimenting with using AI tools during game development. Still, he was quick to emphasize that AI won't solve every problem facing game developers, despite what tech bros might suggest.
Houser went further, explaining that while AI excels at certain specific tasks, there's an entire spectrum of technological needs in game development where the current generation of artificial intelligence simply falls short. He pointed out that the technology functions as a catch-all term for various forms of advanced computing, but the main selling points haven't actually materialized yet. The veteran developer even went as far as to suggest that many of the bold claims about what AI can do are driven more by financial interests.
Houser's thoughts on the controversial but hot topic of AI use are generally in line with what individual creatives are saying - and counter to what corporate suits advocate. Coincidentally though, they're in line with what Take-Two Interactive CEO Strauss Zelnick has been sharing all this time. Although Zelnick sees the value of AI and even hints that Rockstar might use it to make NPC conversations more interesting, the technology isn't creative enough to make something like GTA.
For someone developing a game that will presumably compete in a market increasingly influenced by AI-assisted development, Houser's willingness to speak honestly about the technology's current limitations is brutally refreshing. Rather than jumping on the hype train or making exaggerated claims about what his studio can accomplish with these tools, he's offering a realistic assessment.
Whether artificial intelligence will eventually live up to the bold promises being made, or if the bubble will pop just like every other recent flash-in-the-pan tech fad espoused by grifters as the next big thing (remember NFTs?), remains to be seen. For now, at least, this legendary figure is raising alarm bells and telling the truth about what this technology can actually deliver.
In other news, one of Houser's last games with Rockstar, Grand Theft Auto V, continues to sell well. Its online counterpart, Grand Theft Auto Online, will welcome its next update on December 9.
