Strauss Zelnick, CEO of Take-Two Interactive, the parent company of Rockstar Games, has stated that artificial intelligence tools are unlikely to replace human employees in game development. In a recent investor call, Zelnick articulated his company's philosophy, emphasizing creativity as a core pillar and viewing technology as a means to augment it.
"Those [AI] tools are not going to replace anyone," Zelnick asserted, addressing concerns about the impact of AI on the industry workforce. He detailed Take-Two's approach, which prioritizes the creation of entertainment, with technology serving as a support rather than a primary driver. "The first of our core pillars is creativity," Zelnick explained. "And we have 13,000 colleagues around the world, the vast majority of whom are people who are creative every day. We believe the technology can enhance their creativity, but we do not believe it can or should replace their creativity."
While Zelnick does not anticipate that AI will significantly reduce development costs, he suggested that it could "meaningfully increase the quality" of video games. This stance aligns with previous statements made by the CEO; during a 2025 investor call, he assured that Take-Two would not use AI as a justification for layoffs.
Beyond his comments on AI, Zelnick provided an update on Grand Theft Auto 6, confirming that the highly anticipated title remains on track for its November 19 release on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S. He expressed confidence in the game's potential to drive significant profitability for the company in the upcoming fiscal year, noting that GTA 6 preorders are "unprecedented" and suggesting it may be the most in-demand game the industry has ever seen.