The situation at Electronic Arts (EA) is complicated with the news that the company is in the process of being acquired by the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia, pending approval from international bodies. This potential purchase has led EA to intensively integrate artificial intelligence into its operations, a decision that, according to sources within the company, is generating significant challenges in day-to-day work.
EA employees say no to AI
EA employees have expressed their frustration in trying to adapt artificial intelligence tools to their tasks. Anonymous reports suggest that the automation of processes, such as code creation and conceptual art, has led to producing faulty results, forcing workers to manually correct errors. This lack of effectiveness is causing delays in delivery deadlines and a tense work environment.
Moreover, fears about the possible reduction of jobs have intensified. Designers and artists fear that by using AI to replicate their work, their necessity in the future may be compromised. A former employee of Respawn stated that some of the recent layoffs could be attributed to the increasing automation of tasks that were previously performed by humans.
EA has implemented mandatory courses on the use of AI, urging its employees to treat these tools as ‘partners’ in their daily work, reflecting a growing dependence on technology. According to the Game Developers Conference, 52% of video game developers are already using generative AI tools.
However, the company has also acknowledged in its annual report that the use of AI can carry social and ethical risks. EA warns that it must be handled carefully to avoid potential reputational damage and loss of trust from consumers. Given the current environment, the fusion of human creativity and automation is more critical than ever.