CD Projekt Red Won't Rely on AI Making Complete Games for The Witcher 4

CD Projekt Red's Stance on AI in Game Development

CD Projekt Red has made it clear that human developers remain at the heart of creating The Witcher 4 and future titles. During an earnings conference, joint CEO Michał Nowakowski addressed growing concerns about AI in game development, stating that the studio is "still predominantly using people" and has no plans to change that approach1

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. This declaration comes as generative AI continues to be a hot-button topic in the gaming industry, with executives frequently questioned about their AI strategies during earnings calls.

AI as a Tool, Not a Replacement

While CD Projekt Red acknowledges that AI is "definitely becoming a thing in games development," Nowakowski emphasized that the technology serves primarily as a tool rather than a replacement for creative work1

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. The studio's approach to AI mirrors industry trends where the technology handles mundane busywork—tasks like procedural generation, resizing assets, or user preference analysis—rather than core game creation1

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. "AI, if anything, is a tool like many others that's helping in places that can maybe become more helpful in the future but we're not planning to rely on AI making complete games," Nowakowski stated2

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Ethical Concerns About AI and Complex Games

CD Projekt Red's approach to AI is rooted in both practical and ethical considerations. Nowakowski explained that for complex games like The Witcher 4, relying on AI for complete game creation "is not the right or ethical path to follow"1

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. The intricate nature of CDPR's titles requires careful craftsmanship that wouldn't make sense to delegate to LLMs or automated coding systems1

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. However, the joint CEO stopped short of prescribing this philosophy to the entire industry, noting that "everybody has to make those judgments on their own"2

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Legal Risks and Industry Implications

Beyond ethical concerns about AI, there are practical legal risks associated with heavy AI adoption in game development. Anti-AI clauses are rapidly becoming standard boilerplate for videogame publishers, particularly regarding creative work that studios need to prove ownership of in court1

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. This legal landscape makes going all-in on AI technology far from risk-free, even setting aside concerns about AI-generated content quality. CD Projekt Red's measured stance reflects a broader industry reality: while AI experimentation continues, most developers recognize it's not yet suitable for revolutionizing game creation or justifying mass labor reduction1

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. For fans anticipating The Witcher 4, this means the game will maintain the human-driven craftsmanship that defined the studio's previous titles.