Hermen Hulst, head of PlayStation Studios, says that human work and AI need to be balanced in development. 

Hulst was interviewed by the BBC. Before becoming president of Sony Interactive Entertainment Worldwide Studios (the predecessor to PlayStation Studios) (replacing Shuhei Yoshida, who will leave the indie chief executive role in January), Hulst spent 18 years at Guerrilla Games (Killzone, Horizon). He is now also the head of the studio business group, which puts him much closer to the developers, which is understandable considering that Hideaki Nishino is the head of the platform business group, looking after the PlayStation brand. 

In the interview, Hulst was asked about the impact that generative (content-creating) artificial intelligence will have. Hulst says the key word will be balance: “I suspect there will be a dual demand in gaming: one for AI-driven innovative experiences, and another for handcrafted, thoughtful content. Finding the right balance between leveraging AI and preserving the human touch will be critical,” Hulst said. 

It’s a safe approach. Sony, meanwhile, has yet to announce any initiatives related to generative AI, while Microsoft is more open, having partnered with startup Inworld AI to create the Narrative Graph. This is a tool that allows game developers to create a branching narrative graph alongside character profiles and knowledge. However, it may be a while before we see AAA titles using this technology. 

Hulst also talked about the company’s IP being known for more than just video games through PlayStation Productions: “I hope to elevate the PlayStation IP outside of just the games category and elevate it so that it sits comfortably within the larger entertainment industry.” Hulst added. Sony has released two movies (Uncharted, Gran Turismo) and two TV series (The Last of Us, Twisted Metal) so far, but it also has Until Dawn, Ghost of Tsushima, Days Gone, Gravity Rush and a God of War adaptation in the pipeline, in addition to Uncharted and The Last of Us sequels. 

We’ll see how Hulst’s vision plays out. 

Source: WCCFTech