July 23rd, 2024

AI is already taking jobs in video game industry

AI's influence in gaming grows as companies like Activision Blizzard adopt generative AI, raising concerns about job security. Layoffs increase, but AI aims to boost efficiency without entirely replacing roles. Ethical worries persist.

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AI is already taking jobs in video game industry

AI is increasingly impacting the video game industry, with major players like Activision Blizzard incorporating generative AI for game development, leading to concerns about potential job losses. The use of AI tools like Midjourney and Stable Diffusion for concept art creation has sparked anxiety among game artists and designers. Layoffs in the industry have surged, with Microsoft closing studios and cutting jobs. AI is being used to enhance productivity, compensate for attrition, and streamline processes, although it's not necessarily replacing entire departments. The adoption of generative AI has raised ethical concerns among industry professionals, with worries about job degradation and displacement. The gaming sector is seen as particularly vulnerable to AI disruption due to its economic significance and nonunionized workforce. While AI automation is not uniform across all roles, concept artists, graphic designers, and illustrators have been notably affected. The industry's heavy reliance on generative AI for tasks like storyboarding and character design is reshaping the game development landscape, prompting debates on copyright issues and labor cost reductions. The future impact of AI on the industry remains uncertain, with diverging views among companies on its implementation.

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By @downrightmike - 4 months
Once they have to pay the actual costs of AI after all the VC money dries up, it will be clear that humans are much cheaper than AI. A $20 AI tool is just an introductory price, and that's mostly because companies don't want to pass on the real cost because they want people hooked.
By @amelius - 4 months
And the job description was: "Are you completely unoriginal? Do you copy others? Then we have a job for you!"
By @achristmascarl - 4 months
By @throwaway62718 - 4 months
I didn't expect image gen models to be so widely used. Would be nice to have some concrete numbers instead of these anecdotes the article provides. Bullish case for ai though