EA has partnered with Stability AI to co-develop artificial intelligence models, tools and workflows that it says will enable its development teams to “reimagine how content is created.”
Company, which does not hide its desire to use generative artificial intelligence technologiesstated that the partnership would not replace human authorship and would instead give creative teams more opportunities to “do what they do best.”
“With people at the center of the story, we're evolving the way we work to make AI a trusted ally: supporting faster iteration, empowering creativity, accelerating workflows, and giving us more time to focus on what matters most—creating world-class games and experiences that entertain vast online communities.” the company said in a press release.
“He can draw, generate and analyze, but cannot imagine, empathize or dream. This is the work of EA's extraordinary artists, designers, developers, storytellers and innovators.”
EA said one of its first initiatives under the partnership will be to accelerate the creation of physical-based rendering (PBR) assets by developing new artist-driven workflows. The company also intends to explore artificial intelligence systems that can pre-render entire 3D environments through a series of prompts, which it claims will allow artists to “creatively control the creation of game content.”
“These advances open up new possibilities for rapid prototyping and visual storytelling, allowing artists and developers to imagine, visualize and refine gameplay faster and at a larger scale,” the company added. “These are just a few examples of what is to come.”
EA continues to tout generative AI technologies ahead of Saudi-backed buyout
Ultimately, EA appears to still be singing the same anthem that CEO Andrew Wilson told investors last year that AI is not a “buzzword” but rather a technology that has become the “very core” of its business.
“We've talked for years about how our games always deliver new and different experiences. We predict that with generative AI, we will actually be able to deliver on this promise for billions of people over billions and billions of hours.” Wilson said during the September 2024 Investor Day presentation..
EA certainly won't have to whisper sweet words to investors anymore. Earlier this month the company agreed Private deal worth $55 billion That would put it under the direct control of a private consortium that includes Saudi Arabia's sovereign wealth fund and an investment firm founded by US President Donald Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner.
The news raised eyebrows for a variety of reasons, with many wondering how the publisher would operate under the watchful eye of the Saudi regime, which seems more interested in invading the video game industry than in the video game industry. looking at a range of alleged human rights violations, he is accused of facilitating.
The structure of the deal has also come under scrutiny. analysts recently told Game Developer that EA's decision to take on $20 billion in debt is a “high risk” strategy that often results in asset sales and cost cutting.
It is noteworthy that when this news first appeared, Financial Times said those close to the deal are betting that AI-powered cost reductions will significantly boost EA's future profits. EA seems more than willing to take that bet.
