Neil Druckmann says AI will enable Naughty Dog to make "more adventurous projects and push the boundaries of storytelling" despite "ethical issues we need to address"

Naughty Dog president Neil Druckmann has big plans for AI.

AI implementation in video game development is increasing at a frightening rare, and Druckmann has ensured Naughty Dog won't be an exception, although he admits there are some ethical hurdles to figure out. In an interview published by Sony, the Uncharted 4 and Last of Us director shared his vision for video game storytelling in the next 10 years, and it's a future in which AI is integral to development.

"This broadening of possibilities is fueled by increasingly accessible tools that allow even non-technical people to use their imagination and create worlds and narratives to their heart's content," Druckmann said. "Moreover, AI is really going to revolutionize how content is being created, although it does bring up some ethical issues we need to address."

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Specifically, Druckmann said AI, along with the ability to do motion capture from home, will reduce costs and technical hurdles by taking on duties that would normally be allocated to human staff. That'll allow Naughty Dog to "take on more adventurous projects and push boundaries of storytelling in games."

"This evolution is truly empowering creators to bring their visions to life without the traditional obstacles," he said. As for those "ethical issues," he wasn't specific, but one can only imagine he's referring to the displacement of human jobs.

It's worth a reminder that this interview was conducted and published by Sony, and you can bet the company has its own plans for the role of AI in PlayStation games. Sony chairman and president Kenichiro Yoshida recently touched on the issue during the company's corporate strategy meeting presentation, describing AI as "a technology that supports creativity" but one that isn't "a substitute for human creativity."

"Creativity resides in people. We will continue to contribute to people's creativity through technology," he added.

After earning an English degree from ASU, I worked as a corporate copy editor while freelancing for places like SFX Magazine, Screen Rant, Game Revolution, and MMORPG on the side. I got my big break here in 2019 with a freelance news gig, and I was hired on as GamesRadar's west coast Staff Writer in 2021. That means I'm responsible for managing the site's western regional executive branch, AKA my home office, and writing about whatever horror game I'm too afraid to finish.