The rapid rise of AI has made quite a lot of people nervous. In 2022, all of us were already stressed by COVID and the tsunami of mass layoffs it caused. So, the emergence of a brand new technology offering to automate human work in just about all digital industries didn’t add confidence in the longer term.
The Game Development industry has proven to be especially fertile for integrating AI into content generation, making digital artists amongst probably the most vulnerable groups of employees.
Today, looking back at 2022, when Midjourney was launched, we see that the demand for knowledgeable CG artists at each AAA corporations and indie studios stays. What has modified, is that knowledge of AI tools has change into a competitive advantage for artistic talent
In Mission Hire, a recruitment agency specializing in gaming & tech, we’ve been connecting leading Game Dev corporations like Wargaming, My.Games, GCORE with industry talents, and one thing has change into clear: AI is here to remain. CG artists might want to adapt, yet the situation is much from bleak. Let’s take a take a look at the present state of the CG art market inside the Game Dev industry, dispel myths, and uncover the reality.
Attitude Towards AI in Art
Artists have all the time been at risk of “technological advancements.” We will only imagine how frustrated academic artists should have felt with the introduction of computer graphics. Today, we won’t imagine our lives without digital content. AI represents just one other breakthrough, one that we are going to fully understand much later.
The skilled artistic community stays concerned, at times even hostile, toward employers’ interest in AI-related skills for potential hires. In keeping with an A16Z Games report, 88% of the surveyed game dev corporations are planning to actively integrate AI.
Founders of those corporations view AI as a strong tool to streamline internal processes throughout the early stages of a project and reduce development costs. They’re willing to supply competitive compensation for artists expert in AI. As an illustration, the case of Champions of Otherworldly Magic, paying “15,000 USD monthly for exactly 10 hours of labor” seems a lovely deal, right?
Corporations’ Stance on AI
Art department leads typically don’t view AI as a cure-all, especially when the workflows are already established and the teams are fully immersed in a selected product. Quality-first corporations would like to pay an individual, who’s less technically expert, but can “see” the sport and knows the way to make it look cohesive.
AI can significantly speed up the strategy of generating ideas and finding reference materials, which may otherwise take hours of searching the web. Nevertheless, and not using a trained eye and experience, AI cannot function a magic wand.
In AAA corporations, there’s a bent to moreover employ a prompting specialist who would work in pairs with the artist, however the two will not be interchangeable.
For indie studios, which are sometimes constrained by limited resources, AI serves as an accelerator. In smaller projects, AI helps fill the gaps in manpower and save time and resources on routine tasks, allowing teams to deal with development and production.
The scope of operations that might be facilitated with the technology is sort of extensive. Gen AI models like Midjourney, Sora, and Stable Diffusion, are versatile tools that assist in a big selection of activities, from generating hand-painted textures to brainstorming ideas. Moreover, CG artists can utilize AI to avoid wasting invaluable time and energy on rendering, creating 3D objects, and even character prototypes.
NVIDIA DLSS (Deep Learning Super Sampling) is one other noteworthy AI tool. This frame-generation technology by NVIDIA uses AI generation in real-time, upscaling lower-resolution images, and producing high-quality graphics without the necessity for powerful hardware.
Can You Hire An AI Model?
Nevertheless, it’s crucial to do not forget that AI engines can’t take responsibility for the outcomes. While generated pieces are sometimes used as drafts or sketches, they often require further manual refinement as a result of various hallucinations just like the one with generating hands.
One other challenge arises throughout the AI model’s training process, which is continually ongoing. Generative models all the time need material to coach on. Those trained on human-made datasets may achieve impressive results by replicating the stylistic nuances and color palettes of a selected artist. Although such tools can change into invaluable assistants for teams and enhance productivity, they will not be as effective on their very own.
Once an artist stops contributing recent content, the model will proceed training by itself generated assets, resulting in creative stagnation and degeneration.
Stable Diffusion or Midjourney won’t have the opportunity to breathe life into characters or create settings which are exciting to explore. What they will do is save artists time and energy by automating routine tasks, allowing them to deal with the creative process.
So, AI is a Friend, not an Enemy?
The fear of AI taking on creative jobs generally comes from the misuse and misunderstanding of its potential by amateurs, large corporations, and people who prioritize profit over artistic talent. These entities often view AI as a shortcut or a cost-cutting tool. By doing so, they risk undermining the very foundation of creativity and innovation that drives the industry forward.
The true price of artistic talent lies in its ability to evoke emotion, tell stories, and push boundaries. Artists bring a novel perspective and a depth of understanding that may’t be replicated by AI. While AI can definitely assist within the creative process, it needs to be seen as a tool to reinforce and support human creativity, not replace it.
