The head of Embark Studios assures that artificial intelligence is not being used to replace human workers in the development of Arc Raiders

Patrick Söderlund, CEO and founder of Embark Studios, emphasizes that their use of artificial intelligence is not intended to reduce human involvement in the company. In a conversation with GamesBeat, Söderlund highlighted the importance of human creativity in the gaming industry amidst concerns over the firm's AI usage in titles like the widely-acclaimed Arc Raiders.

According to Söderlund, the integration of AI is not about cutting jobs or replacing talent. He affirmed, "We don't use artificial intelligence to not have to hire people or replace people or job groups." He further explained that AI serves as a tool to enhance efficiencies, particularly in situations requiring rapid updates to a game.

The company collaborates closely with several voice actors, maintaining ongoing contractual relationships with them. Söderlund made it clear that these actors remain integral to their projects, stating, "We will pay for their voices, and sometimes using an artificial voice gets us to update the game a lot faster."

He elaborated on the capabilities of AI, stating it can streamline tasks that are otherwise monotonous, allowing for better allocation of human resources to more meaningful tasks.

Söderlund also highlighted the use of AI in supporting ongoing updates for their free-to-play shooter, The Finals. He credited AI, along with strategic investments in tools and exceptional staff, for enabling weekly game updates since its launch.

"We couldn't have built the games that we've built or service the games that we've done," he explained, underscoring that the essence of game development lies in its human element, not in fully automated processes.

Arc Raiders set a record for Embark’s parent company, Nexon, by achieving the highest success in a global launch when it debuted in October.