Ex-Rockstar Boss Dan Houser Issues Statement on AI

Dan Houser, a co-founder of Rockstar Games, recently expressed concerns about the use of artificial intelligence in the gaming industry. In an interview with Virgin Radio UK, Houser – who played a key role in building Rockstar Games – cautioned that AI should be approached with caution and potentially avoided altogether.

The use of artificial intelligence in creative fields, especially game development, has sparked a lot of debate this year. Opinions are divided, with companies like Valve and Epic Games publicly disagreeing on its value. While some see AI as a helpful tool, others worry it will stifle genuine creativity and skill. Dan Houser recently voiced his opposition, believing AI is detrimental rather than beneficial to the creative process.

Ex-Rockstar Boss Dan Houser Compares AI to Mad Cow Disease

During a conversation with Chris Evans on Virgin Radio UK, Sam Houser shared his strong opinions on artificial intelligence. He bluntly criticized those leading the development of AI, suggesting they lack the very qualities – humanity and creativity – they’re trying to instill in the technology. Houser worries that AI is simply recycling existing online information, which he believes will eventually lead to its downfall. He compared this process to the outbreak of mad cow disease, explaining that ‘feeding cows with cows’ – or AI with its own output – will ultimately be self-destructive.

He further explained that while AI can excel at certain things, it won’t be amazing at everything. Given how influential he’s been in the gaming world, it’s interesting to hear his perspective, especially as many other developers and publishers are enthusiastically adopting AI. Some companies are fully committing to it, while others, like Steam, are labeling AI-generated games to inform players. The situation has even become controversial, as seen with publisher Krafton offering to buy out employee contracts to become an “AI first” company. His comparison to mad cow disease raises a good point: we should question how much of the current AI trend is truly useful and how much is just a temporary fad.

A specific group of people seems to be influencing the course of humanity, and it’s questionable whether they possess complete empathy or understanding.

Dan Houser, who left Rockstar Games in March 2020, has started a new company called Absurd Ventures. He plans to build a connected universe of stories through various media like video games, podcasts, books, and animated shows.

Game development is getting increasingly complicated, and a clear split is forming between studios embracing artificial intelligence and those that aren’t. The use of AI, particularly generative AI, is a hot topic and is causing a lot of debate among creators. Whether it will become the new normal in game development remains to be seen, but it’s fascinating to watch how the industry is reacting. Some believe AI could eventually replace developers, while others think it has the potential to completely revolutionize gaming.

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2025-12-03 01:04