Here’s Why CD Projekt Opted Out of Using Generative AI for The Witcher 4

CD Projekt, the renowned Polish game developer, has made it clear that it won’t be incorporating generative AI in the development of The Witcher 4. This news was shared by joint CEO Michał Nowakowski during a conversation with investors. He pointed out the company is steering clear of this technology due to the intellectual property challenges it poses. Generative AI systems often rely on a mix of prior materials, some of which are copyrighted, and even though some inputs are used with permission, others are not. This complexity makes it tough to claim originality, which is crucial for trademarking.

Nowakowski elaborated, “We previously mentioned that last year, we formed a team to explore the potential uses of AI in our future products. This includes creating our own tailored AI models.” He explained that while they have ongoing research projects, the focus isn’t on generative AI.

“Generative AI is quite a complex beast,” he admitted, especially in terms of legal ownership of intellectual property. He added that they are not applying generative AI to any current projects, including The Witcher 4. “We’re staying away from integrating it into our games at this stage and for the foreseeable future.”

Back in January 2024, CD Projekt had indicated that AI could be beneficial in certain areas of game development. However, as of now, generative AI remains off the table for their flagship titles.