The debate over AI in game development continues, and now even Richard Garriott, creator of the classic Ultima series, is publicly supporting AI’s role in game creation. In a recent interview on the TechJesse Podcast, he revealed that his MMORPG Shroud of the Avatar had been carrying roughly 1,000 backlogged bugs for years, with some issues sitting unfixed for 3 to 5 years due to limited team resources.
However, he claims that after implementing AI tools, bugs are now typically fixed within one hour of discovery, and even asserts that this long-running online game now achieves “zero bugs” on a daily basis.
AI Makes Development Faster and More Efficient!
Garriott acknowledges that AI can genuinely make game development more efficient, allowing teams to accomplish more with fewer people and less time. He believes one of AI’s greatest values is handling time-consuming technical problems, helping developers quickly identify and fix errors rather than letting bugs pile up on to-do lists. For continuously updated MMORPGs, these tools could definitely help, since each update can affect existing systems and new issues inevitably arise. That said, “zero bugs” remains Garriott’s description of the game’s current state, not an independent verification that the game is completely error-free.
AI Debate Continues, But Human Artists Remain Essential!
While optimistic about AI, Garriott also recognizes the ethical concerns surrounding the technology, including whether AI improperly trains on other creators’ work and whether voice generation involves using real voices without consent. He states that his team is striving to use AI ethically, but admits there are no easy answers. As for his ideal workflow, he envisions humans handling artistic creation while machines assist with testing, fixes, and stability to ensure smooth gameplay. This approach might ease developer burdens, but when he simultaneously suggests AI can reduce staffing needs, it’s understandable that game industry workers worry about how many jobs might eventually be automated.