Highlights
- Games Workshop bans Generative AI to ensure all content remains authentically human-made.
- CEO Kevin Rountree aims to prioritizes human talent and IP protection over cost-saving automation.
- The company is hiring more artists and writers, backed by a massive £6 billion market valuation.
In a move that is sure to resonate with tabletop purists and hobbyists worldwide, Games Workshop has officially drawn a line in the sand regarding Artificial Intelligence. The British gaming giant, famous for Warhammer 40,000 and Age of Sigmar, has prohibited its staff from using Generative AI (GenAI) for any creative work. While competitors in the gaming space are rushing to automate, Games Workshop is doubling down on human craftsmanship, stating clearly that their leadership team is simply "not currently excited" about what AI brings to the table. The decisive policy was revealed in the company’s recent 2023-24 annual financial report.
CEO Kevin Rountree addressed the elephant in the room directly, explaining that while the topic of AI is broad, the company’s stance is strict. The new internal regulations effectively ban the use of AI tools for ‘design processes’ like designing miniatures, writing lore, and creating artwork. Rountree admitted that while a few senior managers are "inquisitive" about the tech, the general consensus is caution. "We have agreed on an internal policy to guide us all, which is currently very cautious," Rountree stated.
He emphasized that the ban covers the entire spectrum of production, from initial concepts to final designs, and even extends to unauthorized use in external competitions. The primary drivers for this decision are data security, legal compliance, and a fierce desire to protect their intellectual property. This commitment to human-led creativity isn't hurting their bottom line; in fact, it’s quite the opposite. Games Workshop reported a market value hitting £6 billion ($8 billion) this year, fueled by massive profits from physical miniatures, box sets, books, and animations.
Steam
Investing in Human Talent
The company’s financial success serves as a powerful argument that its traditional business model works. Rather than cutting costs through automation, Rountree highlighted that the company is actively hiring more human talent. They are bringing in more artists, writers, and sculptors to the Warhammer Studio to ensure the "grimdark" aesthetic remains authentic. As Rountree put it, it is these "talented and passionate individuals" that make Warhammer the rich, evocative IP that hobbyists love, not speed or cost-efficiency, as reported by IGN.
Games Workshop’s refusal to embrace GenAI offers a sharp contrast to the wider gaming industry. Major players like Square Enix have announced aggressive plans to apply AI, and EA CEO Andrew Wilson has called AI the "very core" of their business. Even the creators of Silent Hill Ascension have claimed that consumers generally "do not care" about generative AI.
However, the Warhammer community cares deeply. The franchise is built on the unique, evocative art styles of legends like John Blanche, whose human touch defined the universe's visual language. Recent controversies, such as the backlash Wizards of the Coast faced over AI art in Dungeons & Dragons and the scrutiny Displate faced over a Warhammer 40,000 poster, prove that fans have a low tolerance for machine-generated content.
The ban is comprehensive. According to the report, it mandates strict governance over AI features that are often automatically embedded in company laptops and phones. By explicitly rejecting the current wave of AI tools, Games Workshop is signaling to its fans that the armies they paint and the stories they read will remain authentically human-made for the foreseeable future.
