---
title: "CEO of Grand Theft Auto Publisher Slams AI Hype in Gaming Industry"
description: "Take-Two Interactive CEO Strauss Zelnick demystifies AI in video games — and other execs just might be paying attention."
date: "2024-11-14"
modified: "2024-11-14"
authors:
  - name: "Ashley Bardhan"
    link: "https://futurism.com/authors/abardhan"
url: "https://futurism.com/the-byte/take-two-ceo-ai-grand-theft-auto"
categories:
  - "Artificial Intelligence"
  - "Future Society"
tags:
  - "artificial intelligence"
  - "gaming"
  - "grand theft auto"
  - "the digest"
---

# CEO of Grand Theft Auto Publisher Slams AI Hype in Gaming Industry

![Take-Two Interactive CEO Strauss Zelnick demystifies AI in video games — and other execs just might be paying attention.](<https://futurism.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/take-two-ceo-ai-grand-theft-auto.jpg>)
*NEW YORK, NEW YORK - NOVEMBER 08: CEO of Take-Two Interactive Software Strauss Zelnick attends Paley International Council Summit at Paley Museum on November 08, 2022 in New York City. (Photo by Steven Ferdman/Getty Images) \<em\>Image: Steven Ferdman/Getty Images\</em\>*

## Grand Theft Automation

As the gaming industry is besieged by [cruel layoffs](<https://futurism.com/the-byte/gaming-sites-writers-ai-editor>) and threats to employment like [stilted AI-generated voice acting](<https://futurism.com/the-byte/voice-actors-shocked-sag-ai>), the CEO of Take-Two Interactive — the publisher of massive titles including Grand Theft Auto **—** Strauss Zelnick says he's not quite convinced about AI.

"In terms of AI, the interactive entertainment business has been into AI forever," Zelnick said in a new interview [with *CNBC*](<https://www.cnbc.com/video/2024/11/11/take-two-interactive-ceo-strauss-zelnick-were-an-organic-growth-story-going-forward.html>). "Let me just remind you, AI stands for 'artificial intelligence,' which is an oxymoron, there is no such thing."

Zelnick's remarks, while framed in a circumspect way, come as cold water at a moment when many C-suites are all-in on AI hype — and because of Take-Two's enormous stature in the space, other execs just might be paying attention.

## Asset Class

Games have long used rudimentary AI for practical matters, like programming non-playable characters to find and attack the player (albeit often with [mixed results](<https://www.reddit.com/r/Madden/comments/wwzbr7/hot_take_allmadden_ai_isnt_hard_to_beat_because/>).)

But the advent of generative AI over the past few years has given game studios new tools to create in-game assets like graphics and models using tech like OpenAI's DALL-E or Recraft. On its face AI is just a new toolset, but it can also result in [sloppy finished products](<https://www.nme.com/news/gaming-news/the-finals-sloppy-ai-voice-acting-criticised-by-voice-actors-3525621>) and [dissent among workers](<https://www.wired.com/story/ai-is-already-taking-jobs-in-the-video-game-industry/>) who feel the tech is pushing them out of the industry.

Zelnick, however, suggested to *CNBC* that Take-Two will remain realistic about AI's limitations.

"I would love to say that \[AI is\] going to make things cheaper, quicker, better, or easier to make hits," he says. "I don't think that's the case."

But where he landed was a familiar line for tech execs: that instead of replacing human creatives, AI will ultimately just free them up to work on more interesting stuff.

"What \[AI\] means is that our creative people will be able to do fewer mundane tasks and turn their attention to the *really* creative tasks," Zelnick continued. "The machines can't make the creative decisions for you."

**More on AI:** [*Radio Station's Attempt to Replace Hosts With AI Ends in Absolute Disaster*](<https://futurism.com/the-byte/radio-stations-ai-hosts>)