Today is not the day for Destiny 2 and Marathon developer Bungie. After news broke this morning about an incendiary post on Twitter/X, another report came out with something quite concerning. The sci-fi-inclined developer appears to be looking for someone to develop AI.
Bungie Reportedly Creating AI That’s Not Rasputin
Zuhaad Ali from The Game Post reported that Bungie had made a job offer last week for a lead engineer in generative AI tools. Indeed, consult Bungie Careers shows there is a page for the listingdespite the 404 error. It was even deleted before the Wayback Machine had time to archive the page.
Related: How does Gunsmith Focusing work in Destiny 2?
The screenshots included in the article shed a little more light on the listing. Specifically, the developer is looking for someone who works with Generative AI, GenAI, to lead a team of engineers in integrating GenAI into existing workflows and systems.
This is not an isolated case in the industry, as other developers and publishers are pushing AI forward. Ubisoft caused a sensation with its Ghostwriter AI in March, when the company announced that it would be used to assist writers and write dialogue for background NPCs. Inworld released a technical demo, originsin which generative AI is used to answer questions that players literally ask through a microphone.
AI is still in a relatively early stage, but it has alarmed quite a few people at how quickly it has progressed. Many are concerned that this could lead to talented people losing their jobs due to the relative ease of use and significant cost reduction involved in using the technology to write scripts and generate works of art. While enthusiasts say AI won’t replace people, history shows that corporations have a bad habit of putting profits before everything else, like when Activision Blizzard laid off about 800 people in 2019, despite having its best financial year in 2018.
2023 being a year in which many Companies are laying off hundreds of employees., this report of Bungie looking to use AI is just another bad omen that people are seeing. While I try to be optimistic, I remember that it is better to prepare for the worst. Let’s hope it doesn’t come to that.
For more non-depressing stuff from Bungie, check out How Does Checkmate Control Work in Destiny 2’s Crucible? In professional game guides!