GTA6 AI prospects spark heated debate

Former Take-Two AI chief Luke Deakin still sees a long-term future for game AI, even as he says the current hype has gone too far. His remarks come after Take-Two cut its entire AI division in April and after CEO Strauss Zelnick said GTA6 did not use generative AI. The game is still scheduled for November 19, 2026 on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S.

Deakin thinks the loudest part of the AI debate matters least. He says the noise could scare off good talent, even if the technology still has room to prove itself.

He also believes players will eventually accept AI in games, and may even come to love it once the results are good enough. He goes further, saying AI could push game experiences to a “quantum-level” new height.

That is why GTA6 matters here. Take-Two has already made clear that the game does not use generative AI, which points to a cautious launch approach rather than a rush to adopt every new tool. For a blockbuster due on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S on November 19, 2026, that caution looks less like hesitation than an effort to protect the final product.

AI is going to arrive in games either way. The real question is who sets the boundaries early enough to make it work.