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At Investor Day 2024, EA revealed how AI can help create and expand game environments with the “Imagination to Creation” video.
Andrew Wilson, CEO of Electronic Arts (EA), has consistently emphasized the company’s focus on integrating AI into game development. At its Investor Day 2024 event, EA demonstrated its vision for AI’s future role.
The gaming developer also unveiled a concept video, “Imagination to Creation,” illustrating how AI tools can facilitate user-generated content. The video showed two players using AI to design and build a game environment based on basic instructions. They began by defining their ideal world, rapidly constructing a maze, and adding armed characters. As they played, they expanded and developed the environment, which was initially made of cardboard boxes. EA confirmed that the concept would incorporate its unique intellectual property.
“Make it more epic.”
⁰EA Chief Strategy officer Mihir Vaidya demonstrates how EA plans to super-charge user-created game content with AI in this concept video "Imagination to Creation" from EA’s Investor Day event in NYC today. pic.twitter.com/sgBnawF7rK
— Geoff Keighley (@geoffkeighley) September 17, 2024
The video drew a mixed response, with X users voicing frustration and skepticism about the concept. The video was pre-rendered, and EA doesn’y yet have a functional version of the technology for public display. Another point is that the “generated” level, made of cardboard boxes, contradicts EA’s claims about AI enhancing player creativity.
In practice, EA is actively employing AI in its game development processes. For example, FIFA 23 had 12 animation cycles, while EA Sports FC 24 boasts 1,200 AI-generated animations. AI will likely eventually allow EA players to create new content, but the timeline for this remains uncertain.
Generative AI was a central issue in the recent video game actor strike, leading SAG-AFTRA to secure agreements with 80 developers for wage increases, AI protections, and improved safety measures. Strikes against major publishers like Disney, Warner Bros., and Electronic Arts persist.
