The Creators of Baldur's Gate 3 Clarifies Its Implementation of Machine Learning for Next Project

The team behind popular RPGs like Baldur's Gate 3 and Divinity: Original Sin recently teased its next major project, sparking a wave of excitement within the gaming community. However, recent remarks from the studio's co-founder have brought a new dimension to the narrative, touching on the developer's philosophy toward machine learning.

A Tool for Ideation, Not Replacement

In a latest message, Larian's director explained that the company is using machine learning for particular ancillary purposes. These involve enhancing PowerPoint slides, producing early-stage visual ideas, and creating placeholder dialogue.

Crucially, Vincke made clear that the final content in the game will be authored solely by actual creatives. "Our team is writing every line ourselves," he stated.

Our studio is actively growing our team of storytellers and are currently forming writing teams.

Since this area is being specifically referenced — we currently have twenty-three concept artists and have positions available for further talent.

All our efforts we do is incremental and focused on letting our team spend more time on making content.

Every AI system applied correctly is additive to a developer's workflow, not a replacement for their skill.

Tempering Reactions with Clear Intent

The admission of AI usage at first generated concern among a segment of the fanbase. In reply, Vincke offered further detail on online platforms.

"At Larian, we employ machine learning to gather inspiration, just like we use Google and art books," he explained. "In the conceptual brainstorming phase we use it as a basic framework for composition which we then swap out with hand-crafted concept art."

He continued, "We've hired artists for their inherent skill, not for their ability to execute what a AI generates."

Key Areas of AI Integration

Vincke had earlier broken down the studio's targeted approach to this technology, grouping its use into three main areas:

• Streamlining Repetitive Work: This encompasses polishing mocap data, dialogue cleanup, and pipeline-specific tasks like adapting animations for different models.
• Fast-Tracked Experimentation: Using systems to quickly build rough versions of scenarios to test concepts ahead of full implementation.
• Experimental Frontiers: Investigating how AI could in the future enhance emergent reactivity, particularly in creating dynamic reactions in a detailed game universe.

He specifically affirmed that central narrative areas — such as writing — are are absolutely not fields where the studio is cutting creative involvement. On the contrary, Larian is actively hiring in these precise positions.

"Larian is neither shipping a game with any AI components, and we are certainly not planning on reducing creatives to replace them with artificial intelligence," Vincke summarized.