Larian Studios Clarifies Its Use of Generative AI for Divinity

Larian Studios, the acclaimed developer behind Baldur’s Gate 3 and Divinity: Original Sin, has moved quickly to clarify its stance on generative AI following intense community discussion. While the studio has confirmed it uses AI tools in limited capacities, leadership has emphasized that Divinity will remain a fully human-crafted experience.

🧠 How Larian Is Using Generative AI

Larian co-founder and creative director Swen Vincke explained that generative AI is being applied behind the scenes to assist with tasks that improve efficiency rather than replace creativity.

Current use cases include:

Expanding internal presentations and documentation
Assisting with early concept exploration
Creating placeholder text during early development phases

These tools are strictly used during ideation and planning stages. Anything that appears in the final version of Divinity is written, designed, and produced by Larian’s creative teams.

🎨 Human Creators Remain at the Center

Despite concerns sparked by reports describing Larian as “pushing hard” on AI, the studio has stressed that it is actively growing its creative staff—not shrinking it.

Larian has confirmed:

Ongoing hiring of writers, storytellers, and translators
Expansion of concept art teams, including over 20 dedicated artists
Continued collaboration with actors for performance capture and voice work

According to Vincke, AI tools are meant to give creators more time to focus on meaningful work rather than repetitive or technical tasks.

⚙️ Automation, Not Replacement

Larian’s leadership has repeatedly drawn a clear line between automation and replacement. AI and machine learning are primarily used to handle complex or tedious processes that slow development.

Examples include:

Cleaning motion capture data
Editing and retargeting animations across different character models
Supporting “white boxing,” an early prototyping stage that allows faster iteration

These systems help teams experiment more freely without locking in final creative decisions too early.

🗣️ Addressing Community Concerns

After backlash spread across social media, Vincke took to public platforms to push back against the idea that Larian is replacing artists with machines. He likened AI tools to reference materials, stating they are no different from using search engines or art books during early brainstorming.

He also reiterated that Larian hires creatives for their talent—not for their ability to follow machine-generated suggestions.

🎮 AI and the Future of RPG Development

While Larian is researching how machine learning could one day support deeper RPG systems—such as improving reactivity to player choices—the studio has acknowledged that it is not yet ready to deploy AI-driven gameplay systems.

Importantly, the areas most sensitive to players—writing, visuals, music, and storytelling—remain firmly in human hands.

🧩 Final Thoughts

Larian Studios’ message is clear: generative AI is a tool, not a replacement. For Divinity, the studio is doubling down on human creativity while cautiously exploring how automation can make development smoother and more sustainable.

Whether this approach will fully reassure skeptical fans remains to be seen, but Larian’s transparency signals a commitment to keeping player trust intact as the industry navigates emerging technologies.