Paulo Pedercini, the developer behind the left-wing tech satire game Future? No Thanks! and known by the handle Molleindustria, has disclosed the use of generative AI tools in the game's development. Pedercini stated that a small portion of the game's code was created with AI assistance, specifically for bug assessment and resolution towards the end of the project. The game also features text-to-speech voice acting generated by ElevenLabs software for a few characters, which Pedercini noted are intended as a parody of rudimentary artificial intelligence.
Pedercini emphasized that neither the game's art nor its writing utilized AI generation. This disclosure comes weeks after the game's Steam release, which experienced a delay due to Valve's concerns regarding sexual content. Initially, the game's store page did not mention generative AI usage, but an update now includes this information.
In a blog post detailing the situation, Pedercini stated that while "AI is a technofascist, anti-human and anti-art project," it can be a "powerful semantic search engine" for fixing bugs, especially as traditional search engines have become less effective for specific technical queries. He explained that tools like ChatGPT and Claude were used for tasks such as fixing a shader that broke after an update or diagnosing minor glitches. Pedercini noted that AI-generated code is difficult to remove once integrated, and he could not distinguish between lines he wrote and those generated by AI.
Regarding the voice acting, Pedercini acknowledged that text-to-speech technology was once uncontroversial but has become problematic with the commercialization of AI voices intended to replace human actors. The game includes approximately two minutes of generated voice work for an automated toilet and a personal assistant that misinterprets idioms, with the humor stemming from the characters' flawed performance. The development team reportedly found that human voices for these roles were not as effective.
Earlier versions of the game also included AI-generated music intended to satirize the technology, but these were later replaced with royalty-free loops due to concerns about associations with AI companies. Pedercini also mentioned that finding AI-free royalty-free samples is becoming increasingly difficult.
Pedercini addressed the prevalent "100% no-AI stance" adopted by some developers and players, noting that it is a recent development and the game's production predates a consensus on the issue. As an educator, he feels compelled to explore these tools to understand their use among students, seeking "non-brain-rotting ways" to engage with them.
An earlier draft of Pedercini's blog post contained more extensive remarks where he argued that an "AI-free" approach is the "only truly ethical position" for game developers, citing issues like environmental impact, intellectual property theft, and job displacement. However, he also contended that the broader systemic problems associated with genAI cannot be solved by individual actions alone and that demanding strict adherence to "AI-free" standards within a progressive community could lead to division. These particular comments were later removed following criticism on social media platform Bluesky.
Other developers, including those from Necrobarista and Eternal Strands, as well as Riot Games' Dante Douglas, have publicly responded to Pedercini's statements. Pedercini indicated he would likely offer further comments on the matter.