The Divinity Developer Explains Its Application of AI Tools for New Divinity

The studio behind acclaimed role-playing games like Baldur's Gate 3 and Divinity: Original Sin has recently shown its upcoming project, sparking immense excitement within the player base. However, recent comments from the studio's co-founder have brought a new dimension to the conversation, touching on the studio's approach toward machine learning.

A Tool for Ideation, Not Replacement

In a new message, the studio's founder detailed that the team is employing AI technology for particular preliminary tasks. These include fleshing out presentation materials, creating early-stage visual ideas, and writing placeholder dialogue.

Crucially, Vincke made clear that the final material in the game will be created solely by human creatives. "We are writing everything in-house," he said.

Larian is actively expanding our pool of writers and are busily forming writing teams.

As concept art is being specifically mentioned — we presently have twenty-three concept artists and have job openings for further artists.

Each initiative we do is supplementary and aimed at letting our team spend greater focus on the creative process.

Any machine learning application used well is supplementary to a developer's workflow, never a stand-in for their talent.

Responding to Feedback and Defining the Path

The news of using AI at first generated concern among portions of the community. In reaction, Vincke offered more elaboration on public forums.

"We use these tools to explore references, similar to we use search engines and reference books," he stated. "In the conceptual ideation stages we use it as a rough outline for layout which we then substitute with original illustrations."

He added, "Our studio recruits talent for their creative vision, not for their willingness to replicate what a algorithm proposes."

Three Pillars of Practical Application

Vincke had previously detailed the team's practical method to this technology, defining its use into key pillars:

• Automation of Tedious Tasks: This includes motion capture cleaning, dialogue cleanup, and technical processes like adjusting assets for various species.
• Fast-Tracked Experimentation: Using tools to speedily create rough mock-ups of mechanics to validate concepts prior to expensive development.
• Experimental Frontiers: Exploring how AI could one day facilitate innovative player agency, particularly in creating player-driven narratives in a vast role-playing world.

He explicitly noted that core creative disciplines — like visual art — are not fields where the company is cutting artistic involvement. Conversely, Larian is recruiting more in these precise positions.

"Larian is not launching a game with AI-generated content, nor considering trimming down creatives to swap them out with AI," Vincke stated definitively.