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Todd Howard Sets Bethesda’s AI Line: Tool for Workflow, Not Content Generation

Rising adoption alongside a high-profile cancellation underscores the scrutiny on AI in games.

Overview

  • In a Dec. 5 Eurogamer interview, the Bethesda chief said AI helps speed internal iterations and world checks but is not used to generate content.
  • He emphasized protecting artistry, asserting that creative intention must come from human artists.
  • GamesRadar+ and PC Gamer amplified the remarks from a Fallout TV press event, presenting the position as a cautious approach to generative AI.
  • Surveys cited in coverage point to wider use of AI across studios, including 62% of Unity users, about one-third of GDC respondents, and over half of Japanese firms polled at Tokyo Game Show.
  • That same day, publisher Running with Scissors canceled Postal: Bullet Paradise after criticism of apparent generative-AI use, as figures like Epic’s Tim Sweeney predict AI will touch nearly all production.