Naughty Dog President Neil Druckmann’s Hot Take on AI’s Many Benefits Irks ‘The Last of Us’ Fandom

Naughty Dog’s Head of Creative, Neil Druckmann, made many fans of The Last of Us angry with his latest comments on the usage of AI in the industry. Druckmann, also the showrunner of HBO’s The Last of Us, commented that the technology helps achieve realism and push the boundaries of storytelling. While he mentions the ethical issues, fans believe that he has no idea on that matter.

Fans bashed the game developer for his “horrible” take, on social media. The AI debate is getting heated among social media users, with many arguing that it will affect the livelihood of countless creative artists.

Neil Druckmann Supports The Use Of AI In Improving Gaming Experience

Neil Druckmann‘s comments on using AI drew a lot of flak from the fans of The Last of Us. The studio head of Naughty Dog made his point on the use of AI when asked about the evolution of gaming over the next 10 years during an interview with Sony. Druckmann talked about the benefits of AI in storytelling and gaming experience.

The Uncharted developer mentioned that cutting-edge technology like AI helps to push the boundaries of storytelling. With the help of technology, games can now achieve both highly stylized visuals and ultra-realistic ones. He mentioned how even non-technical people could make their imaginative world a reality using AI tools.

He shared that AI would revolutionize content creation by “reducing costs” and removing any “technical hurdles”. Druckmann added that creators could now take on more adventurous projects without the traditional obstacles. However, he also mentions that everything comes at the cost of some ethical issues. He shared with Sony:

Moreover, AI is really going to revolutionize how content is being created, although it does bring up some ethical issues we need to address. With technologies like AI and the ability to do motion capture right from home, we’re reducing both costs and technical hurdles, opening the door for us to take on more adventurous projects and push the boundaries of storytelling in games. This evolution is truly empowering creators to bring their visions to life without the traditional obstacles.

Druckmann quickly rose through the ranks at Naughty Dog with his creative vision. During the development of The Last of Us II, he was promoted to the vice president position. After the release of the game in 2020, he became co-president alongside Evan Wells. He was given the titles of Head of Creative in 2023 and Studio Head recently in 2024.

Fans Bash Neil Druckmann For His “Horrible Take” On AI Usage

Neil Druckmann’s take clearly did not sit well with netizens as well as fans of The Last of Us. One fan interpreted Druckmann’s support for AI as his intention to lay off more people. One fan mentioned that it was a “horrible take” coming from a creator like him. Another shared that CEOs cared less about the implications of firing 90% of their staff as long as they kept seeing more money.

One fan comment shared that the corporations were so disconnected from reality that they could only see real humans losing their livelihoods as “ethical issues”. Another fan mentioned that the creator’s words proved how the industry is pushing for AI anyway despite the backlashes. Some of the fan reactions read:

A.K.A we will need less people to pay wages to.

— Lachesis (@LachesisHD) May 23, 2024

Wow, what an absolutely horrible take by Neil🥲

— Chatsunami 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 (@ChatsunamiPod) May 23, 2024

How the CEOs will handle the ethical implications of firing 90% of their staff: pic.twitter.com/aNXJAB0wbe

— Whelm🐧 Wishlist on Steam (@lesser_GAMES) May 23, 2024

Ethical issues such as real humans losing their livelihood to allow corporations so disconnected from reality that their “art” will be soulless

— Lee Bond 🦁 (@LeeBond1991) May 23, 2024

Ah, so this kinda shows that they are pushing for A.I anyways. I don’t think they care about the “ethical” concerns.

— 🥷MidnightFenrir🎮 (@MidnightFenrir_) May 23, 2024

Neil Druckmann’s TV adaptation of The Last of Us received critical acclaim and was praised for its performances, production design, and writing. It won eight Primetime Emmy Awards and was renewed for a second season, which is set to premiere in 2025.

The Last of Us is now available for streaming on Max.