Larian CEO Swen Vincke pushed back on criticism on December 16 after confirming the studio experiments with generative AI during early concept phases for the new Divinity reveal at The Game Awards. Vincke told Bloomberg that the tools are used to explore ideas, flesh out presentations, generate concept references, and produce placeholder text.
The comments prompted a backlash from some former developers and artists on social media, and Vincke posted a follow-up on X to clarify the studio’s position. He wrote that Larian has a team of 72 artists, including 23 concept artists, that the studio is hiring more staff, and that the art produced at the studio is original. Vincke said the studio uses AI “to explore references, just like we use google and art books” and that early outputs are used only as rough composition outlines, which are replaced by original concept art. A separate statement to IGN repeated that Larian will not ship AI-generated art in its games nor reduce headcount in favor of tools. You can see the post on X below:
Holy fuck guys we’re not "pushing hard" for or replacing concept artists with AI.
We have a team of 72 artists of which 23 are concept artists and we are hiring more. The art they create is original and I’m very proud of what they do.
I was asked explicitly about concept art…
— Swen Vincke @where? (@LarAtLarian) December 16, 2025
Critics have raised concerns about generative AI enabling plagiarism and job losses in creative industries. An analysis by Totally Human found a sharp rise in Steam disclosures for generative AI, and the firm reported roughly 8,000 titles on Steam now list GenAI use compared to about 1,000 a year earlier. The exchange comes as Larian returns focus to Divinity after Baldur’s Gate 3 and discusses future projects publicly. For background on the studio’s next plans and comments from studio leadership, see this piece on the studio’s upcoming project here.
Vincke framed Larian’s internal discussions around making creative workflows better for staff rather than replacing them with automation, and he asked critics to consider the distinction between early ideation using AI and finished, studio-authored art in released games. The Game Awards coverage that accompanied the Divinity reveal is part of the context around the comments, and Bloomberg’s original reporting captured Vincke’s initial remarks and the studio’s response to the reaction on social platforms.
consider my feedback: i loved working at @larianstudios.com until AI. reconsider and change your direction, like, yesterday. show your employees some respect. they are world-class & do not need AI assistance to come up with amazing ideas.
— anoxicart🍤 (@anoxicart.bsky.social) 2025-12-16T16:20:58.862Z
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Baldur's Gate III
Developed by Larian Studios
An ancient evil has returned to Baldur's Gate, intent on devouring it from the inside out. The fate of Faerun lies in your hands. Alone, you may resist. But together, you can overcome.
- Genre: Role-playing (RPG), Strategy, Turn-based strategy (TBS)
- Platforms: Google Stadia, Xbox Series X|S, PC (Microsoft Windows), PlayStation 5, Mac
- Modes: Single player, Multiplayer, Co-operative, Split screen
- Release: 2023-08-03
- Publisher: Larian Studios
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Age Rating:
CERO Z / PEGI 18 / CLASS_IND 16 / ESRB M / GRAC 19+ / ACB MA 15+ / USK 18
- IGDB Rating: 96.0/100
