Krafton's new chief AI officer says the company 'uses AI as a tool to amplify human imagination and creativity, not replace it' 3 months after it announced a hiring freeze and launched a voluntary resignation programme

Inzoi - A Zoi made to look like Timothée Chalamet holding a money gun and surrounded by falling money — (Image credit: Krafton, Zoi template by Diantre)

Krafton loves AI. Indeed, the publisher loves it so much that it followed a record-breaking quarter in November by starting a hiring freeze and a voluntary resignation programme so it could restructure itself around AI. Instead of investing in people, it's investing $88 million in a technology that has yet to remotely prove itself in videogame development.

But wait! AI is really here to help humans, not kill their careers. Please ignore what's staring you right in the face and instead trust Krafton's new chief AI officer, Kangwook Lee. He's been the head of Krafton AI since 2022, and in this new executive role he will oversee AI R&D and "mid-to-long-term innovation strategy".

"Krafton uses AI as a tool to amplify human imagination and creativity, not replace it,” he said. “Rooted in our core gaming business, Krafton will continue to explore future possibilities backed by AI innovation and data for long-term growth and player value."

Last year, for instance, he worked with Nvidia to introduce "co-playable characters"—a stupid name for gen AI NPCs—in Krafton games, most notably Inzoi. Nvidia's been experimenting with this tech for a while now, and the results are poor. Interesting, perhaps, but a big step down from curated, human-created NPCs.

The most notable impact of AI at Krafton, so far, is the cost on the human side of its business. It's getting rid of current employees and not bringing in new ones. This is, like so many AI endeavours, bad for people—with the exception of AI specialists and the eager suits who fund them.

From Krafton's announcement, there's only really one place where AI research and implementation might actually make life better for Krafton employees, and that's the pillar of "enhancing operational efficiency". This is all about streamlining workflows and reducing repetitive tasks. This can be helpful, to an extent, at least until things like creating bespoke concept art end up filed under "repetitive tasks".

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Fraser is the UK online editor and has actually met The Internet in person. With over a decade of experience, he's been around the block a few times, serving as a freelancer, news editor and prolific reviewer. Strategy games have been a 30-year-long obsession, from tiny RTSs to sprawling political sims, and he never turns down the chance to rave about Total War or Crusader Kings. He's also been known to set up shop in the latest MMO and likes to wind down with an endlessly deep, systemic RPG. These days, when he's not editing, he can usually be found writing features that are 1,000 words too long or talking about his dog.

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