Take-Two Interactive has initiated layoffs within its artificial intelligence division, resulting in the departure of the company’s head of AI, Luke Dicken, and several members of his team.

Key Points

• Luke Dicken, head of AI at Take-Two, announced on LinkedIn that he and his team were laid off this week.
• The affected team had been developing game development technology for the company for seven years.
• Dicken previously served as senior director of applied AI at Zynga, which Take-Two acquired in 2022.
• CEO Strauss Zelnick recently expressed skepticism regarding the ability of generative AI tools to guarantee the creation of successful game hits.
• Take-Two currently maintains hundreds of active AI pilots and implementations across its various studios.

Why it Matters

These layoffs highlight the ongoing volatility within the gaming industry as major publishers re-evaluate their investments in emerging technologies. The move reflects a cautious shift in corporate strategy regarding the practical utility of generative AI in large-scale game development.