Envision the shielding runes glowing on the garb of the machine spirit; picture hymns infusing the circuits, dismantling the strategies of the Abominable Intelligence; picture divine wrath descending upon the encroaching disaster of Artificial Intelligence. Fellow enthusiasts, the epoch of action is here. Games Workshop has imposed a restriction on their employees from employing generative AI tools for creating or designing any Warhammer elements. This stems from the fact that their top executives do not regard the technology as particularly invigorating. Their CEO also expresses aggravation at tech firms forcing generative AI into every fresh device or system revamp, irrespective of its actual need. So beware, ChatGPT, the tech-priests are on the prowl!nnHowever, they don’t seem to object to the usage of generative AI by associates, including game creators. Moreover, they will permit senior personnel to keep exploring the technology, indicating a potential attempt to placate investors provoked by NVIDIA’s rising stock prices. Omnissiah be… somewhat animated? Fairly unfazed?nnPredictably, Games Workshop’s position mirrors apprehension about their artwork being exploited for generative AI ‘training’. They’re likely also anxious about potential displeasure from Warhammer’s expansive community of miniature painters and other external artists. During the company’s most recent financial earnings report, CEO Kevin Rountree put forth:nnThis is admittedly a broad subject, and I’m not exactly an expert. Some of our senior managers are: but nobody seems incredibly enthusiastic about it at the moment. We have determined an internal policy to keep us on track, which is currently very guarded. For instance, we do not permit AI-generated content or AI use in our design processes, or its illicit use outside of Games Workshop, including our competitions. Regarding data compliance, security, and governance, we must shield ourselves against AI or machine learning systems automatically included on our devices.nnWe are endorsing our senior managers’ curiosity towards the technology. We have also agreed to maintain a steadfast promise to guard our intellectual property and to honour our human creators. In the reported timeframe, we amplified our investment in our Warhammer Studio by recruiting more creatives across various disciplines, from concepting and art to writing and sculpting. These impassioned and talented individuals make Warhammer the rich, evocative IP that our hobbyists and ourselves so much cherish.nnPresently, this largely applies to Games Workshop itself. However, it’s likely to influence Warhammer videogame creators such as Warhammer 40,000: Dark Heresy studio Owlcat, who, back in 2024, announced their use of generative AI for ancillary work with concepts and accelerating some internal processes. Games Workshop has traditionally been highly protective of how their designs and settings are replicated by third parties. nnIn spite of a multitude of generative AI proponents, including influential figures at EA, Ubisoft, and Stellar Blade developers Shift-Up, there’s an increasingly strong wave of opposition to the adoption of generative AI. Recently, Running With Scissors scrapped an entire game following allegations of generative AI usage in a trailer. Manor Lords publishers Hooded Horse have excluded generative AI art from their games, and Baldur’s Gate 3 developers Larian have partially withdrawn their use of the technology in the upcoming Divinity.
A very broad topic and to be honest I’m not an expert on it. We do have a few senior managers that are: none are that excited about it yet. We have agreed an internal policy to guide us all, which is currently very cautious e.g. we do not allow AI generated content or AI to be used in our design processes or its unauthorised use outside of GW including in any of our competitions. We also have to monitor and protect ourselves from a data compliance, security and governance perspective, the AI or machine learning engines seem to be automatically included on our phones or laptops whether we like it or not.
We are allowing those few senior managers to continue to be inquisitive about the technology. We have also agreed we will be maintaining a strong commitment to protect our intellectual property and respect our human creators. In the period reported, we continued to invest in our Warhammer Studio – hiring more creatives in multiple disciplines from concepting and art to writing and sculpting. Talented and passionate individuals that make Warhammer the rich, evocative IP that our hobbyists and we all love.
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