By Ed Nightingale

Copyright eurogamer

Embracer’s new CEO Phil Rogers has discussed the company’s use of AI in its latest Annual General Meeting, praising the technology but insisting “human authorship is final”.

Previous CEO Lars Wingefors left Embracer earlier this summer, with Rogers taking over in August. AI tools can be a “power multiplier” he said, though insisted this isn’t “corporate speak” but “words we’re hearing from studio heads and heads of production”.

“In an industry defined by escalating development costs and limitless player expectations, the question is no longer if a company will adopt a technology like AI, but how it leads with it? How we take Embracer forward across Fellowship? Our answer is a smart implementation of generative AI in ethical and sustainable ways,” he said.

“We really do view AI as a strategic catalyst,” he continued. “It’s the most powerful technology or tool of our generation for driving efficiency, amplifying creativity, and ultimately delivering the high-quality, memorable games that players demand more effectively, more predictably, and more profitably than before.”

AI tools are being used across multiple departments by animators, designers, engineers and more, though Rogers emphasised the need for “tuning by human hand” so developers can “add their unique authorship”.

For instance, Rogers claimed AI advancements allow for in-game animations that are “indistinguishable” from motion capture, which can see “a seven day mocap shoot cut in half”.

“This isn’t a theoretical future,” said Rogers. “It’s happening now and the results are quite compelling. Many of our studios have been experimenting with AI in the past couple of years and are now starting to really leverage it to eliminate bottlenecks and empower our development teams. We’re beginning to see measurable increases in productivity.”

His view is that AI can reduce busywork and repetitive tasks, though he acknowledged criticism of AI tools within the industry and the need to protect workers. As such, the company’s core principle is “empower, never replace”.

“We see the headlines and we hear the concern from players and developers alike, but we believe the greatest risk is not in using AI, but in using it without a strong ethical framework,” said Rogers. “Players aren’t longing for generic, soulless side quests or synthetic AI voices. Developers want creative freedom to innovate and experiment and reduce iteration time so they can make more content. Artists, actors, writers need protection from plagiarism. Intellectual properties need to be nurtured and respected.”

He continued: “For us, ethics and good business are one and the same. They really do go hand in hand. Our position is clear: human authorship is final. Our developers will always have the final creative control and authorship. After all, AI is a co-pilot. It is not the pilot.”

As Game Developer pointed out, Rogers’ comments ironically come days after Embracer subsidiary Aspyr issued a hotfix for its latest Tomb Raider Remastered collection to remove “unauthorised AI generated content” following criticism from French Lara Croft actress Françoise Cadol, who claimed her performance had been replicated without consent.

Further, Rogers’ comments mirror those of Blizzard developers interviewed by Eurogamer, who claimed AI can be used for “menial” areas but they always retain a “handcrafted” feel.

Indeed, AI was a common theme at Gamescom, as Eurogamer reported, with some indie teams claiming AI tools are invaluable.

AI tools are also being used for remasters and remakes, with Keywords in particular experimenting with AI at every stage – but can they ever be good?