Rockstar Video games co-founder and ex-GTA boss Dan Houser has given extra opinions on synthetic intelligence, claiming that we’re not too far off from a future through which the controversial expertise eats itself in some form of ouroboros manner that offers us mad cow (AI?) illness.
Chatting with Chris Evans (not the actor) for his Virgin Radio UK Breakfast Show on November 26 (as noticed by PC Gamer), Houser was requested about his gaming origins, the founding of Rockstar Video games and the creation of Grand Theft Auto, and his new sci-fi thriller novel A Better Paradise. In the course of the almost 30-minute chat, Evans questioned Houser concerning the technodystopia he specified by A Higher Paradise and whether or not AI is as wonderful as C-suite executives need us to suppose it’s. Houser is not absolutely satisfied.
“I personally do not suppose it is going to as a result of AI goes to ultimately eat itself,” Houser stated. “So far as I perceive it–which is known as a superficial understanding–the fashions scour the web for data, however the web goes to get an increasing number of full of knowledge made by the fashions. So, it is form of like after we fed cows with cows and acquired mad cow illness. I can not see how the data will get higher in the event that they’re operating out of information. [AI] will do some duties brilliantly, nevertheless it’s not going to do each process brilliantly, and it may change into this form of mirror of itself.”
It is price mentioning that Houser is probably hinting on the “lifeless web” concept, or the concept that the web is basically made up of bots and AI-generated content material partaking with and scraping itself. A May 2024 paper by the University of New South Wales purports that the implications of this theory–and the proof we’re seeing with the proliferation of instruments like chatbots and LLMs–suggest a extra sinister undertone of politicking and profiteering.
Houser admitted that AI can “get you some data in a short time” if you happen to ask it to carry out particular duties, however he famous that it is nonetheless “random and improper numerous the time.” He additionally clarified that, notably as an underscore to his novel, the “human ingredient” can by no means get replaced by AI, irrespective of how onerous billionaires need it to.
“A few of these folks attempting to outline the way forward for humanity, creativity, or no matter it’s utilizing AI aren’t probably the most humane or artistic folks,” Houser stated. “In order that they’re form of saying, ‘We’re higher at being human than you might be,’ and it is clearly not true. That is one of many different issues we’re attempting to seize is that humanity is being pulled in a path by a sure group of people that possibly aren’t absolutely rounded people.”
Houser’s newest AI criticism follows his earlier feedback concerning the controversial expertise. Whereas touring his novel, he stated AI is overrated and claimed the video games business is at a tricky crossroads.
“[Gaming] can both go someplace actually attention-grabbing or someplace that will get overly centered on creating wealth,” Houser stated on a November 23 episode of Channel 4’s Sunday Brunch. “I believe there’s all the time that hazard with any industrial artwork kind that they get distracted by cash. However I believe there’s nonetheless an enormous ceiling creatively to make these sort of dwelling narrative experiences, and I believe that was what we had been all the time attempting to do.”
Dan Houser is not with Rockstar Video games, however growth continues on the studio on Grand Theft Auto 6. The sport not too long ago suffered a delay to November 19, 2026, and has discovered itself on the heart of controversy over the firing of staffers.