BGMI Publisher Krafton Commits $72M to its 'AI-First' Strategy

South Korean publisher Krafton who is behind BGMI and PUBG, has just announced a massive strategic pivot to become an "AI-First" company. The plan includes a ₩100 billion (approx. $72 million USD) investment to automate work and its human resources system to be "reorganisation to be AI-centred". 

The announcement is a contentious one, given that AI remains a deeply polarising topic in game development. In a live talk, Krafton CEO Kim Chang-han stated the goal is to "automate work centred on Agentic AI" to solve "complex problems" and increase "company-wide productivity". He said this would free up human employees to "focus on creative activities". 

This new AI focus is being backed by a hefty ₩100 billion investment to build an NVIDIA B300-powered GPU cluster. Krafton aims to have its full "AI-linked workflow" and "agentic AI management platform" running by the second half of 2026.

Krafton's ₩100B 'AI-First' Strategy

However, the most worrying detail for its human staff is the plan to "internalise" this AI-first approach. Krafton is "completely restructuring" its HR policies to establish an "AI-first culture" by the end of 2025. While the company says it will reinvest the "time and resources freed up" into new projects and "expand opportunities" for employees, the decision to tailor HR to AI policies has many in the industry on edge.

Starting in 2026, Krafton also plans to spend ₩30 billion ($21 million USD) annually to train employees on these new tools, including an "AI Learning Hub".

This controversial announcement comes while Krafton is already in "troubled waters". The publisher is currently facing a messy lawsuit from the co-founders of Unknown Worlds, the studio making the highly anticipated Subnautica 2. 

Krafton fired the co-founders back in July, who allege it was a move to avoid paying a $250 million bonus. Krafton has hit back, claiming the terminations were necessary for Subnautica 2's quality.

With fans worried about the future of the game amid the corporate chaos, the development team at Unknown Worlds issued a statement to reassure the community. The studio confirmed that despite Krafton's new strategy and the recent "leadership changes", Subnautica 2 remains a dedicated single-player experience. The team was clear that there are "no plans to add subscriptions, loot boxes, or a battle pass."

The Subnautica 2 team is already using AI in Unreal Engine 5 to create "lifelike behaviour" for new creatures. Krafton has also previously discussed plans to bring generative AI-powered companions to PUBG, suggesting this new investment will accelerate such features across its entire portfolio.