Sega is adopting a cautious approach to the use of generative AI in its game development process, with senior executive officer Tsuyoshi Saito stating that the company is not entrusting creative aspects to AI. This stance aligns with Capcom's similar reservations about the technology's role in game creation. The clarification follows confusion surrounding the use of AI tools in the development of Crazy Taxi: World Tour. Initially, Sega's Steam disclosure indicated AI tools were used to support developers, leading to speculation about the extent of generative AI's involvement. Further reports suggested generative AI was used for background assets, but Sega later clarified to Kotaku that no in-game assets were AI-created, and the tools were used solely for reference.
While Sega is not fully integrating generative AI into its core creative processes, the company is employing it to improve efficiency in other departments, such as publishing and corporate functions, and for generating business ideas. This dual approach, leveraging AI for operational efficiency while maintaining human control over creative content, appears to be Sega's current strategy. The company has established a Generative AI Committee to oversee its AI initiatives, which were described as deeply integrated into daily operations as of July last year, encompassing applications like chatbots, image generation, and video generation. Concerns were also noted regarding the energy consumption of these AI tasks, alongside internal testing for code, image, and motion generation.
Beyond its AI policies, Sega has also expressed interest in collaborating with independent developers. Saito indicated that the company has been considering how to engage with the indie game scene, believing a win-win situation could arise if indie games can benefit from Sega's distribution network and marketing expertise. While there are no immediate plans to publish indie games under Sega's own brand, the company aims to find ways to coexist and leverage each other's strengths, suggesting a potential new avenue for supporting independent creators.