Cyberpunk 2077 Sequel Developers Grapple with AI’s Future, Game’s Narrative Reflects Concerns

Cyberpunk 2077's sequel has had AI creeping in on development, and it may reflect in the storyline.
By: - Published:
Cyberpunk 2077 Dark Evil Dude With Red Eyes Robot
Image: CD Projekt Red

CD Projekt Red, the creators of Cyberpunk 2077, are carefully considering artificial intelligence (AI) as they work on their next game, Project Orion. Game Director Gabe Amatangelo recognizes the potential advantages of AI for simplifying development processes, but he has concerns about its application in creative areas such as storytelling.

The interview with IGN revealed that Amatangelo is concerned about recent remarks made by an unnamed AI expert. The expert emphasized the “unknowable” nature of how large language models reach their conclusions. Although considered positively by the speaker, this lack of transparency unsettles Amatangelo. He believes that AI is best used for handling routine development tasks, allowing human developers to concentrate on the more satisfying aspects of game creation.

“My gut tells me that AI for pipelines, for tools for helping with, let’s call it, the busy work that no one really likes to do a lot of times, I think there’s a lot of promising stuff on that front. It allows developers to have more satisfying jobs overall because they could spend more time on the creative elements. So that’s my optimistic take with AI and stuff like that.”

Gabe Amatangelo

Despite his concerns, Amatangelo acknowledges the potential of AI as a narrative tool within the Cyberpunk universe. Though frightening, he recognizes that the worst-case scenarios surrounding AI can provide compelling material for exploring the technology’s potential dangers within the game’s story.

CD Projekt Red’s increased focus on AI aligns with their ongoing efforts to improve following the launch of Cyberpunk 2077. The development of Project Orion reportedly prioritizes open communication, clear planning, and team support to reduce crunch culture. The studio’s new Boston location will lead the development with that in mind.

Project Orion is currently in the early stages of development. According to Amatangelo, this phase is called the “fun phase.” While there are few details available at this time, it seems that the game’s development is influenced by the experiences gained from the journey of Cyberpunk 2077. It sounds like the perfect way to get more people to think about the implications of AI, but we’ll have to see where it all goes.

Jorge A. Aguilar

Jorge A. Aguilar

Jorge A. Aguilar, also known as Aggy, is the current Assigning Editor.

He started his career as an esports, influencer, and streaming writer for Sportskeeda. He then moved to GFinity Esports to cover streaming, games, guides, and news before moving to the Social team where he ended his time as the Lead of Social Content.

He also worked a writer and editor for both Pro Game Guides and Dot Esports, and as a writer for PC Invasion, Attack of the Fanboy, and Android Police. Aggy is the former Managing Editor and Operations Overseer of N4G Unlocked and a former Gaming editor for WePC.

Throughout his time in the industry, he's trained over 100 writers, written thousands of articles on multiple sites, written more reviews than he cares to count, and edited tens of thousands of articles. He has also written some games published by Tales, some books, and a comic sold to Telus International.

Comments

Leave a Comment

All comments go through a moderation process, and should be approved in a timely manner. To see why your comment might not have been approved, check out our Comment Rules page!

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.