Overview
- At South Korea's 2026 Economic Growth Strategy briefing, Stellar Blade director and Shift Up CEO Hyung-tae Kim called AI an essential tool for competing with China and the United States.
- Kim contrasted Shift Up’s roughly 150 developers per game with Chinese projects that can involve 1,000 to 2,000 people and argued AI can bridge the gap, even claiming one trained developer could match the output of 100 people.
- Culture minister Hwi-young Chae said the government will provide financial backing this year to help smaller studios adopt AI tools.
- The minister noted larger companies are already building their own AI systems, while reporting has pointed to widespread AI use at EA and allegations of AI assets at Activision.
- The policy push sharpens an ongoing industry debate, with some teams experimenting but setting limits—Larian says no generative AI for Divinity concept art—and others, such as publisher Hooded Horse, criticizing the technology.