Highlights
- Larian rules out GenAI for Divinity concept art and writing to avoid any doubt over asset origins.
- GenAI use was limited to early exploration and placeholders, with no AI content in the final game.
- Any future AI use requires 100% certainty on training data and consent amid wider industry scrutiny.
Larian Studios has confirmed that GenAI (generative AI) will not be used to create concept art or written content for its next Divinity title, aiming to remove any doubt about the origin of its creative assets. The statement follows criticism after the studio acknowledged limited experimentation with AI tools during early development discussions.
The clarification came after Larian revealed a new Divinity game at The Game Awards.
Speaking to Bloomberg, CEO Swen Vincke said the studio had used generative AI to explore ideas, flesh out internal presentations, develop early references, and write placeholder text. He stressed that no AI-generated material would appear in the final game and said staff were aligned with how the tools were being tested.
Online criticism followed, with some users arguing that even early-stage use risked replacing human creativity. Vincke responded on X (formerly Twitter), saying the studio was not “pushing hard” for AI or replacing artists, and noted that Larian employs 72 artists, including 23 concept artists, with more hiring underway.
Larian’s Generative AI Policy for Divinity
During a Reddit AMA, Vincke said Larian would no longer use generative AI tools during concept art development. “So first off – there is not going to be any GenAI art in Divinity,” he wrote, explaining the decision was made so there could be no doubt over asset origins.
He added that the studio will not generate creative assets that enter a game unless it is “100% sure” about the training data and creator consent, and any such models would be trained only on data Larian owns.
Vincke said the studio continues to explore AI in other areas to improve iteration speed, but within strict limits.
Writing director Adam Smith confirmed that no text generation tools touch dialogue, journal entries, or narrative writing, describing limited internal tests as “3/10 at best” and for research only.
The move comes amid broader industry debate, as disclosures of generative AI use on Steam have increased sharply, heightening scrutiny around transparency and creative ownership.
