Baldur's Gate 3 publishing director responds to Elon Musk's AI game: "AI isn't going to solve the industry's leadership and vision problem"

Elon Musk is trying something new, as he recently announced that his company, xAI, plans to release a fully AI-generated video game in 2026. This is being done to show that artificial intelligence can build an entire game on its own, but it seems like not everyone is excited.

Michael Douse, the publishing director at Baldur’s Gate 3 developer Larian Studios, recently shared his thoughts on social media after hearing about Musk’s plans. Douse believes that the gaming industry doesn’t need more tech, and while AI has its place as a tool, it isn’t going to solve the leadership and vision problem of the industry.

“AI has its place as a tool, but we have all the tools in the world and they aren't compensating for the incredible lack of cogent direction. AI isn't going to solve the big problem of the industry, which is leadership & vision.” 

Douse further added that too many games are already built using numbers, data, and tricks to keep players hooked, but while it might work for engagement, it doesn’t make games meaningful. He explained that what really matters is people who know how to build worlds players love and want to explore. Tools like AI can help with that, but they can’t replace the human vision.

“Genuinely what this industry needs is not more mathematically produced, psychologically trained gameplay loops, rather more expressions of worlds that folks are engaged with, or want to engage with.” 

AI is definitely something that can assist developers in speeding up the development process, but as Douse mentions, “There is no craft without the human touch.” It can’t replace the passion, vision, and leadership, and it won’t solve the real problems holding the industry back.