The new Vice President of Generative AI for Games announced today at Netflix, Mike Verdu, says Netflix is making a significant step closer to embracing generative artificial intelligence throughout its gaming strategy.
In his post on LinkedIn, Verdu wrote about how he was enthusiastic about the future of generative AI. “Finally, I can finally say what I am working on next. It’s building a ‘once in a generation’ inflection point for game development and player experiences through generative AI.” In short, the new, disruptive technology will not only bring games into people’s lives sooner but will also enable one-of-a-kind experiences that “surprise, delight, and inspire players.”
Despite the concern about a lack of human developers to use AI, Verdu assured stakeholders that human creativity will remain at the core of the process. He noted: “AI will let big game teams move much faster, and will also put an almost unimaginable collection of new capabilities in the hands of smaller teams.”.
Verdu believes that current generative AI technology would allow developers to output new games every month, much as the frenetic pace of innovation occurred in the 1990s between Nintendo and Sega. He cited examples where AI could generate game levels, character designs, and even the dialogue for non-playable characters (NPCs) on its own, which would indicate an evident revolution in game development.
While Microsoft and Electronic Arts are also embracing AI in game development, Nintendo is being more cautious given the fear of intellectual property theft. Verdu has appealed to the public, urging them to dismiss what he called unfounded speculation by the media on gaming at Netflix, describing what recently happened as part of a strategic transition rather than turmoil. Netflix did not immediately respond to further requests for comments on this new direction.
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