The Last of Us Director Criticizes Use of AI in Game Development

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I just read an interview with one of the co-directors of The Last of Us, and he’s really skeptical about using generative AI in games. He’s not the only one, actually – a lot of game developers are starting to talk about whether or not AI has a place in how games are made, and it sounds like a lot of them are hesitant about it too.

Okay, so generative AI is a huge topic of debate right now, and not in a good way for everyone. I’ve been seeing a lot of discussion about whether it’s even right to train these AIs on stuff scraped from the internet, plus the energy these things use is seriously concerning. And let’s be real, a lot of us gamers are worried about developers using AI to replace artists and other creatives – I’ve already seen some AI-generated art popping up. Now, Bruce Straley – a really respected name in the industry – has finally shared his thoughts on all of this, and I’m really interested to hear what he has to say.

The Last of Us Co-Director Criticizes AI

Bruce Straley, a co-director on the original The Last of Us, recently shared his thoughts on generative AI and its role in game development. In an interview with Polygon, he described AI as simply repeating what it’s learned, unable to truly create or innovate. Straley values the imperfections and unique qualities of art made by humans, saying he appreciates “chips and flaws” because they make art interesting. While he acknowledges AI could potentially improve, he doesn’t see himself being interested in content created solely by machines. He stated he has no desire to watch a TV show or view art made by a robot, emphasizing the importance of human creation. Straley also dismissed the idea of someone being an “AI artist,” arguing that simply giving instructions to an AI isn’t a form of artistic expression.

Neil Straley, formerly of Naughty Dog and currently developing the game Coven of the Chicken Foot, is frustrated by the confusion between traditional game AI and the newer generative AI. His game features a companion character that learns from player actions, but it’s built using traditional programming methods – no machine learning or large language models were used. Straley explains that because “AI” is now almost exclusively associated with generative AI, it’s hard to explain his game’s companion without people assuming it uses those technologies. He worries players will think they employed machine learning and LLMs when they didn’t.

The co-director of The Last of Us shares concerns voiced by many others in the gaming industry regarding the use of AI. Reactions to AI in gaming have been extremely varied, coming from players, developers, and platforms alike. Gamers have publicly protested AI’s inclusion in games like Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 and ARC Raiders, and even Larian Studios’ plans to use AI tools faced criticism. Developers are worried AI could lead to job losses as companies consider replacing human workers with AI. Steam, a major PC gaming platform, now requires developers to disclose their use of AI, a move that prompted a negative response from the CEO of Epic Games.

While many game developers and players have voiced concerns about AI, it’s not universally opposed. Developers from God of War have spoken in favor of it, and companies like Capcom and Krafton (publisher of Subnautica 2) are actively experimenting with and even prioritizing AI in their work. Both Xbox and PlayStation are also reportedly looking into ways to integrate AI into their consoles and services. However, not all experimentation is well-received – some developers at EA have expressed dissatisfaction with being required to use AI tools. Currently, there’s no clear agreement on the role of AI in gaming, but its use in game development is expected to grow unless it proves ineffective or too costly.

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2025-12-17 14:04