Although many studios today use generative AI at some stage of production or pre-production, the technology remains controversial for several reasons. Larian Studios, known for Baldur’s Gate 3, has decided to backtrack on its previous stance regarding the use of such tools.
During a Reddit fan Q&A session, the topic of artificial intelligence naturally came up. Back in December, CEO Swen Vincke stated that while the final game would not contain any AI-generated content, the technology could be used to assist artists in creating concept art. However, these comments received backlash from some fans who considered this approach unethical for a studio that prides itself on handcrafted artistry.
Larian Confirms: No AI-Generated Art in Divinity
Vincke has now confirmed that Divinity will not use generative AI tools to create any of its art assets. He acknowledged that the subject sparks intense debate and wanted to eliminate any confusion about the studio’s stance.
“I know there’s been a lot of discussion about us using AI tools as part of concept art exploration. We already said this doesn’t mean the actual concept art is generated by AI,” Vincke explained on Reddit. “But we understand it created confusion. So, to ensure there is no room for doubt, we’ve decided to refrain from using genAI tools during concept art development. That way there can be no discussion about the origin of the art..”
He further emphasized that the studio will continue to explore ways to improve development efficiency — allowing more time for polishing the game — but not at the cost of creative integrity.
A Commitment to Ethical Game Development
Vincke noted that while Larian had experimented with AI technologies internally to “refine ideas faster,” the studio has no plans to use AI-generated materials in its games unless the training data and creators’ consent are fully verified.
“The important bit to note is that we will not generate “creative assets” that end up in a game without being 100% sure about the origins of the training data and the consent of those who created the data,” he said. “If we use a GenAI model to create in-game assets, then it’ll be trained on data we own.”
Divinity was officially announced at The Game Awards 2025, but as of now, there is no confirmed release date. The decision to exclude AI from its creative process reinforces Larian’s reputation as a developer deeply committed to craftsmanship, transparency, and respect for artists.
