Larian Studios CEO Swen Vincke pushed back against criticism and speculation about the studio’s use of generative artificial intelligence (AI), telling reporters and the gaming community that the company is not planning to ship a game containing AI-generated narrative or artistic content nor to reduce headcount and replace developers with AI systems.

CEO statement addresses backlash after Game Awards announcement

The comments follow a wave of concern that began after Larian’s reveal of a new Divinity-branded role‑playing game at a recent industry showcase. Some social-media posts and op-eds questioned whether the studio — which has previously experimented with internal tooling — would rely on generative AI to produce writing, dialogue, art assets, or to supplant development roles.

In response, Vincke made a direct statement clarifying two points: “We are neither releasing a game with any AI components, nor are we looking at trimming down teams to replace them with AI.” He emphasized that Larian’s development approach remains centered on human-led design and storytelling, and that any internal R&D with AI is exploratory rather than intended to substitute staff contributions.

Context: industry experimentation vs. creative assurances

Across the games industry, studios have been experimenting with generative models to accelerate certain workflows such as prototyping, asset iteration, localization, and tool-assisted testing — but those experiments have fueled debate about creative control, quality, and workforce impacts.

Larian’s reassurance mirrors moves by other developers who have differentiated between using AI as an internal assistant and producing final, player-facing content that is AI-generated. The studio indicated that while it monitors AI advances and may explore tooling that improves productivity, the core creative work on narrative, design, and art for the new Divinity title will be performed by human teams.

What Vincke said about internal tool use

Vincke acknowledged that the studio keeps an eye on new technologies and sometimes experiments with tools to speed repetitive tasks or assist developers, but stressed those tools are not a substitute for human judgment. He framed any AI-related tooling as supportive: intended to help with early prototypes or to automate mundane technical steps so designers and artists can focus on creative decisions.

Community reaction and developer concerns

Reaction from the community has been mixed. Some players welcomed the clarification and expressed relief that Larian intends to preserve the studio’s established design-driven process. Others said the statement leaves open questions about the specifics of internal tool use, data sources, and how the studio will safeguard creative credit for individual contributors.

Industry observers note that transparent policies about what AI is used for, which assets or datasets feed into models, and whether models are trained on staff-created content are key to maintaining trust with audiences and with employees — especially as unionization and labor-rights discussions gain prominence in the games sector.

Implications for the upcoming Divinity title

Larian confirmed there will be no AI‑generated story or art in the new Divinity game, signaling that the title will adhere to the studio’s established creative standards and handcrafted content pipelines. The studio’s stance suggests its marketing and development messaging will emphasize authorial oversight and human-crafted narrative as selling points.

Industry trends — measured adoption and policy questions

Analysts say the statements align with a broader industry pattern: studios are cautiously adopting AI to streamline certain technical tasks while publicly committing to human-led creative decisions for final game content. However, analysts also warn that clarity is needed about what constitutes “tooling” versus “content generation,” and that regulatory and commercial pressures may shape how studios disclose AI usage going forward.

What remains unclear

While Vincke’s denial addresses immediate fears of AI replacing human developers or directly generating the upcoming game’s content, Larian has not published a detailed, public policy describing the exact AI tools under evaluation, the datasets used, or guidelines governing staff work and attribution. Those specifics are likely to matter to both employees and players pushing for transparency.

Bottom line

Larian’s CEO has explicitly denied plans to ship AI-created game content or to replace staff with AI, framing any experimentation as exploratory and supportive of — rather than a substitute for — human creativity. The studio’s position reflects a cautious approach taken by several prominent developers: limited internal use of AI tooling for productivity, paired with public commitments to preserve human-authored narrative and art in major releases.