During a TED presentation, Rob Bredow, senior vice president of creative innovation at Lucasfilm, showcased a series of creations generated by artificial intelligence, giving a glimpse into what he describes as “a new era of technology.” This showcase, titled Star Wars: Field Guide, featured strange creatures like blue lions and tentacled walruses. However, many critics felt that this collection of concepts barely met the expectations of a legacy like that of Lucasfilm, highlighting a disconnection with the innovative spirit of the company.
Human invention? Of course not
Despite the criticism, Disney has not backed down on its investment in artificial intelligence. Recently, the company announced a $1 billion investment in OpenAI, which will allow the use of more than 200 Disney characters in products generated by this AI platform. However, this partnership has raised concerns, especially after a Darth Vader NPC in Fortnite made inappropriate comments, reflecting the ethical and quality challenges the industry faces when employing generative technology.
Alongside this, Activision has also been under scrutiny, as it has been criticized for the use of AI-generated art in the latest installment of the Call of Duty saga, which was considered one of the weakest to date. These situations have created a general dilemma regarding content produced through artificial intelligence, highlighting the difficulty in maintaining standards of both quality and ethics in the creation of this type of material.
Looking to the future, although there is anticipation from some towards the development of new AI-driven games, the current climate of 2025 is perceived with skepticism regarding the capabilities of this technology. As has been reiterated, the evolution may be promising, but the path to it is filled with obstacles and questions about the creative direction that giants like Disney and Activision are taking.