PlayStation Co-CEO Hermen Hulst Predicts Dual Demand for AI and Human-Crafted Games

PlayStation Boss Hermen Hulst Says AI Will Never Replace the 'Human Touch' of Video Game Development

PlayStation co-CEO Hermen Hulst has said artificial intelligence will never replace the "human touch" of video game development but still expects AI to feature prominently in the industry. Hulst told the BBC he believes AI has the potential to "revolutionize" video game development but studios will have to strike the right balance between using it and creating games through the traditional route. "I suspect there will be a dual demand in gaming: one for AI-driven innovative experiences and another for handcrafted, thoughtful content," Hulst said. "Striking the right balance between leveraging AI and preserving the human touch will be crucial." This comes as many fans and creators of video games are growing increasingly concerned with the use of AI-generated content, though executives at various publishers have shared different perspectives on it so far. EA CEO Andrew Wilson has said AI is at "the very core" of its business, for example, while others, such as Nintendo president Shuntaro Furukawa, have expressed more caution. AI can be used "in creative ways," he said in July, but its use "also raises issues with intellectual property rights." AI isn't quite ready to replace human developers, however, as support studio Keywords Studios tried creating a video game solely using AI only to deem the technology was "unable to replace talent." But one area it is impacting already is voice over, with a video game voice actor strike currently ongoing under The Screen Actors Guild -- American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA). Myriad voice actors have commented on the threat of AI already, including Metal Gear Solid and Mass Effect actress Jennifer Hale. "The truth is, AI is just a tool like a hammer," she said. "If I take my hammer, I could build you a house. I can also take that same hammer and I can smash your skin and destroy who you are." The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt lead Doug Cockle similarly expressed caution and frustration at the growing presence of AI within the video game industry, calling it "inevitable" but "dangerous." Cissy Jones, a voice actor known for her roles in Disney's Owl House, Destiny 2: The Witch Queen, Shin Megami Tensei 5, and more, has started a company called Morpheme.ai to let voice actors embrace AI and gain control of their own voices going forward. Image Credit: EMMANUEL DUNAND/AFP via Getty Images

PlayStation boss says AI will "revolutionise" gaming, but must be balanced with "human touch"

PlayStation co-CEO Hermen Hulst has weighed in on on the role of artificial intelligence in game development, saying that while the technology has the capacity to "revolutionise" the industry, it won't replace the "human touch". Speaking with the BBC to mark PlayStation's 30th anniversary, Hulst acknowledged that while AI technology is changing game development, human developers will always have a role to play. "I suspect there will be a dual demand in gaming," he suggested. "One for AI-driven innovative experiences and another for handcrafted, thoughtful content... Striking the right balance between leveraging AI and preserving the human touch will be crucial." This isn't the first time PlayStation execs have addressed the issue of AI. PlayStation Studios' head of product Asad Qizilbash previously insisted the technology "will create more personalised experiences and meaningful stories for consumers", adding, "This is important for the younger Gen Z and Gen Alpha audiences, who are the first generations that grew up digitally and are looking for personalisation across everything, as well as looking for experiences to have more meaning." AI chatter has, of course, become increasingly pronounced in recent years as advancements make headlines and executives - from Microsoft to Embracer Group - talk up the technology to excite investors. Earlier this year, for instance, EA CEO Andrew Wilson told investors AI was at "the very core of our business", adding the company had over a hundred "active novel AI projects" to assist with game development. Nintendo president Shuntaro Furukawa, too, recently acknowledged "game development and AI technology have always had a close relationship" and that generative AI could be "used in creative ways". However, he insisted the company's "decades of know-how" was more valuable than AI when it came to "creating the best gaming experiences for our players". Eearlier this, a report by game engine maker unity claimed 62 percent of studios have used AI at some point during game development, with 71 percent saying AI had improved their delivery and operations, reducing time to launch. But the technology remains highly controversial, from the sources it utilising to the things its used for. In March, for instance, several Baldur's Gate 3 actors shared their thoughts on the darker side of success fuelled by AI voice cloning. And if you're curious to learn more, Eurogamer's Ed Nightingale took a closer look at AI's current and future game development role back in May.

PlayStation believes that AI is a tool, but not the future of video games - Softonic

Although the use of AI will be commonplace from now on, the human factor will continue to be more relevant Few topics are as discussed as AI. Partly because we use this term to refer to many very different things. By not making the distinction, we combine easily justifiable uses with others that are not so much. This makes it necessary to constantly provide explanations. But this is what happens when certain people want to promote certain types of technologies that have unethical uses. They want to muddy the discourse. Something that Hermen Hulst, co-CEO of Sony Interactive Entertainment, seems to understand. In an interview with the BBC, Hermen Hulst has said that AI has the potential to revolutionize video games. However, he wanted to clarify that he does not believe the human factor will disappear. A crucial part of development will continue to come from the human side. Specifically, he pointed out that he believes AI-driven experiences can be very innovative. While handcrafted things, with thought behind them, will continue to be what gives substance to video games. This implies that AI can help relieve the burden of more tedious tasks or assist with some things that are technically impossible for humans, but it makes no sense to have AI do what humans can do better by virtue of being human: being creative. In fact, it seems that the use of AI is already commonplace among video game studios. According to a study by the research firm CIST, 62% of studios in 2023 were already using AI for their workflow. Especially in everything related to concept, asset creation, and worldbuilding. Although practically none did so with materials that would be used in the final result. That is why, although it seems that AI is the present, it is not in the sense that many people believe it will be the future. And while it is a useful tool, everything indicates that the human factor will continue to be the most important part of all creative work.

People not AI will make games, PlayStation boss tells BBC

PlayStation's boss says artificial intelligence (AI) has the potential to "revolutionise" gaming, but he believes it will never replace the "human touch" of games made by people. Hermen Hulst and his co-CEO Hideaki Nishino spoke to the BBC as Sony celebrates the thirtieth anniversary of the console being launched. The company has had a year marked by highs and lows, with the phenomenal success of its PlayStation 5 console and games offset by big job losses, in a pattern repeated across the industry. Game developers have been hit by slowing demand after the pandemic - but some are also concerned about the impact of AI on jobs. Advances in the technology have the potential to allow many of the mundane parts of game development to become automated. But it has also caused deep unease that AI systems will also take over the creative process, with voice actors in the US striking over fears the tech could be used to replace them. Mr Hulst acknowledged AI was changing gaming - but said there would always be a future for human developers. "I suspect there will be a dual demand in gaming: one for AI-driven innovative experiences and another for handcrafted, thoughtful content," he told the BBC. "Striking the right balance between leveraging AI and preserving the human touch will be crucial."

PlayStation co-CEO spits out a bizarre prediction about the future of AI and gaming -- one I pray never happens

The concept of AI-driven game development is a largely untested, pie in the sky dream mostly supported by people who don't actually make games, including Diablo fan Elon Musk, but that hasn't stopped PlayStation co-CEO Hermen Hulst from predicting that it will become the norm. While AI has been shown to be very good at plagiarism, there's a wild gulf between stealing voices or mangling art and actually making a functioning, competently designed game with any innovative qualities, but that won't stop 'ideas guys' or executives from pushing a future where publishers are able to cut out the creatives. Speaking with the BBC for the PlayStation's 30th anniversary, Hulst's prediction attempts to placate both sides -- the people extremely worried about AI's impact on creative industries, and the folks selling the dream of an AI future -- but it sounds just as hard to swallow as the predictions from executives who've been fully AI-pilled. "I suspect there will be a dual demand in gaming: one for AI-driven innovative experiences and another for handcrafted, thoughtful content," he told the Beeb. But aside from the folks who actually have an investment in AI, who's actually going to demand an AI-driven game? Even among the players who don't see AI as an existential threat to the people working in the industry, or who simply don't care, there's no tangible benefit for them. And given the current limits of AI, why would they ever pick a game created without the human touch over one created by teams that have some kind of creative intent? Aside from morbid curiosity, anyway. There's arguably one advantage, though: specifically, in games that aren't just driven by AI at the development stage, but continue to use AI to evolve and adapt to the whims of their players. We don't even need to guess at what these games would look like, because Oasis already exists. This AI game prototype is literally just Minecraft, but a version that uses AI to adapt to your inputs, and which can do things like spit out a new map based on an image you upload. It's wonky, performs terribly, and while it serves as an interesting and at times genuinely impressive tech demo, it once again showcases AI's inability to actually create anything new. "Imagine what AI experiences could look like if everyone had the power to create them," AI company Decart teased, right after it just showed the world a worse version of Minecraft. The future Decart envisions is one where you can just say you want something to happen, and the AI engine will make it happen, but it's not going to create these things from scratch: it has to pinch it from somewhere, and for obvious copyright reasons this library would need to be limited to pre-approved assets or data shared by companies or individuals who are down for having their creations used in this fashion. Oasis also doesn't really give us a convincing answer to the question of how games made like this will be able to provide more than just fleeting diversions. Even big sandboxes full of procedural elements like Minecraft are designed by teams of creative humans who make things with specific goals in mind. So even in games where you set your own objectives, they're fun because very talented people worked long and hard to create bespoke mechanics, art, and toys for you to play around with. While being able to just decide "I want something to happen" might sound like an exciting prospect, there's no game there. It's just a novel sideshow we'll likely get bored of quickly before we go back to more curated experiences crafted by developers. But none of this is to say that AI does not have the potential to prove a lot of value to games. Hulst follows his prediction up with a more reasonable thought: "Striking the right balance between leveraging AI and preserving the human touch will be crucial." The critical part is the choice of the word "leveraging". There's obviously a place for AI in game development -- a lot of bottlenecks and graft that could be lessened, freeing up developers to invest more time in polish and spending less time crunching. A tool that assists rather than taking over. But there's a vast difference between that and "AI-driven innovative experiences". The simple fact that plenty of influential people are pushing for it means that we will likely start to see AI-created games cropping up from major publishers eventually, but the prediction that there will be any demand for it, or that these games will actually be able to innovate rather than simply plagiarising, seems incredibly premature.

PlayStation CEO says 'preserving the human touch' is vital as AI proliferates

AI-adjacent technology is already used in video game development but has, for the most part, been used to simply speed up mundane tasks. Some fear, however, a future where these generative processes spread to more creative pursuits like writing, character modeling, and voice acting. For players, talent, and developers alike, AI is a hot topic of conversation in the industry at the moment. The Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists has been on strike since July 2024 to ensure protections against using video game performers' voices for AI, and recently added League of Legends to its list of games its members won't be working on for the time being. SAG-AFTRA released a statement following the announcement of the 2024 Game Awards nominees: "At this time of celebration, it's important not to lose sight of the fact that thousands of video game voice and movement performers have been on strike for 116 days, following more than 18 months of negotiations which failed to produce an agreement that includes fundamental consent, compensation and transparency guardrails around the use of A.I."

PlayStation CEO Says Game Developers Will Have to Balance Human Touch and Leveraging AI

PlayStation CEO Hermen Hulst was featured in an interview published today on the BBC's website. As you might recall, Hulst was the managing director of Guerrilla Games (Killzone, Horizon) for eighteen years. Following the success enjoyed with Horizon: Zero Dawn, Hulst was promoted to head of PlayStation Worldwide Studios in November 2019, succeeding Shuhei Yoshida (who, as we learned last week, will be leaving Sony Interactive Entertainment early next year). Earlier this year, following Jim Ryan's departure, Hulst got another promotion and became the new co-CEO of the entire PlayStation business alongside Hideaki Nishino. Hulst is handling the Studio Business Group and is, therefore, closer to the game development side, which makes sense given his background, while Nishino handles the Platform Business Group. In the aforementioned interview, the executive was asked one of the most important questions in most industries: what kind of impact will generative AI have? When it comes to game development, Hulst believes there will have to be a balance between maintaining the human touch and leveraging the opportunities enabled by generative AI technologies. I suspect there will be a dual demand in gaming: one for AI-driven innovative experiences and another for handcrafted, thoughtful content. Striking the right balance between leveraging AI and preserving the human touch will be crucial. That's probably a safe approach in most cases with generative AI. So far, PlayStation hasn't announced any specific initiative to implement gen AI into its own games, but that doesn't mean they are not researching it. Microsoft's Xbox, on the other hand, has partnered with leading startup Inworld AI to create Narrative Graph, a tool that game developers can use to generate a branching graph of the narrative alongside character profiles and their knowledge. It may be a while before we see actual triple-A games shipping with the technology, though. The PlayStation CEO of Studio Business Group also talked about the ongoing goal of bringing game franchises to the big and small screen through PlayStation Productions and its partners. Hulst said: I am hoping to raise the PlayStation IP outside of just the gaming category and elevate it so it sits comfortably within the larger entertainment industry. So far, Sony has released two feature films (Uncharted and Gran Turismo) and two TV series (The Last of Us and Twisted Metal), with many more on the way, such as Until Dawn, Ghost of Tsushima, Days Gone, Gravity Rush, God of War, and of course the sequels to Uncharted and The Last of Us.