The lead performance director for Black Myth: Wukong, Beth Parker, has expressed worries about the application of artificial intelligence in game production. Parker highlighted that artificial intelligence cannot match humans in producing worthwhile material.
Black Myth: Wukong’s lead performance director noted that while most professionals in the field are concerned about how AI is used, certain big companies support its deployment.
SpaceX CEO Elon Musk is one of the key figures venturing into AI game development, recently announcing an AI game development studio to ‘make games great again.’
Parker confirmed that she did not use AI in Black Myth: Wukong’s development and probably never would. The game was released in August 2024, and its plot was inspired by the Chinese novel Journey to the West. The protagonist is Monkey King, known as Sun Wukong.
The game has been acclaimed for its culture, art direction, and battle system. Black Myth: Wukong’s blend of traditional Chinese culture into the digital era has helped it win several awards during the Golden Joystick Awards, including the highly coveted Ultimate Game of the Year award and the Best Visual Design award.
Black Myth: Wukong director says she does not envision herself using AI voices
Speaking during the BAFTA Breakthrough 2024 reception, Parker slammed AI, saying she could not envision herself using AI voices. The director explained that AI could not replicate the essence of human chaotic emotions, which players look for while engaging with game characters. Parker added the issue of intonation, saying that while AI can mimic a person’s tone, the tech cannot mimic the feeling behind it.
Parker emphasized that the character development and storytelling in Black Myth: Wukong were the result of the human skills needed for the creation of the game and, therefore, could not be executed by AI.
The director added that companies settling with AI use were losing the value of their product. According to Parker, the human touch in game development allows players to be more invested in the game’s world.
To confirm her sentiments, Parker cited the thoughts of Jojo Bizarre Adventures mangaka, Hirohiko Araki, who was worried about the possible increase of fraudsters due to the technology. Nintendo’s Shigeru Miyamoto also clarified in a recent interview that the gaming company would not use AI in any of its productions.
Many gamers are against AI replacing humans
I'm not interested in a game studio run by AI https://t.co/x6JFyk1udK pic.twitter.com/J35QF3NOhz
— Kooks12 (@Kooks12_) November 28, 2024
Gamers have expressed concern about Elon Musk’s plan for an AI game development studio, with some on X saying that AI cannot save the gaming industry. One user insisted that AI destroyed the essence of art and gaming.
Another explained that while Musk might have the best interest at heart, games require passion, heart, and soul poured into them.
In a recent survey, YouGov also questioned gamers if they would be fine with sped-up gaming production by replacing human roles. 56% of all U.S. gamers disagreed, with 63% of female gamers and 52% of male gamers making up the percentage.
Gamers also expressed concern about the current stage of AI development. According to gamers, AI today may not be able to execute complex acting scenes as well as humans. The survey highlighted a shared sentiment that AI could deliver worse performances than humans.
Many gamers also agreed that game development companies should obtain consent from human performers and voice actors before replicating their actions using AI. The survey further revealed that gamers thought the performers should be compensated in case of replication.
A Step-By-Step System To Launching Your Web3 Career and Landing High-Paying Crypto Jobs in 90 Days.
